From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State Government, yesterday, announced fresh corruption charges against the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman of the Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission (PCACC), Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, unveiled a number of fresh charges against the former governor of Kano State.
“What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg,” the chairman of the anti-corruption agency stated.
“As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3 billion local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.”
He alleged that the former administration took N1 billion from the state coffers barely a month to the expiration of the administration’s tenure in May 2023, adding that the said money was sent to the Bureau de Change operators and not used for road renovation as earmarked.
“We have piled a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1 billion in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis and it was taken away, sent to Bureau de Change.
“We have a case of N4 billion whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court,” he alleged
Magaji, who observed he was being viewed as a ‘stubborn person’ in some quarters, insisted he started investigating the administration of the former governor when Ganduje was the Kano State governor.
“That is the beauty of what we are doing. In Nigeria, we are not supposed to have those that will be shielded. Even, we are in the anti-corruption agency, our integrity has been tested. And that is how it is supposed to be. Anybody that is charged before the court of law, let him go and answer.”
Daily Sun gathered that already the ancient city is warming up for the arraignment of the former governor, who is expected to appear before the state High Court today.
Ganduje, will be arraigned on charges bordering on allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds, including the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38 billion in bribes.
However, a legal practitioner expressed fear that the arraignment of the former governor may be stalled.
According to him, the arraignment may be stalled given the fact that Ganduje might not have been served with the court processes as he has been out of the country to perform the lesser hajj
He said: “Lack of service of the charges on him is a huge impediment that is likely to stall his arraignment, as he is technically unaware of the case at the moment.
“He may not be in court, and he cannot be penalised for his absence if there is no proof that he had been served with the charges.
“If the lack of service continues beyond tomorrow, the case will continue to suffer adjournment until the service is affected.”