The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has called on the Federal Government to probe the allegation of bribery against Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The call is contained in a letter written by the group and directed to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The open letter dated November 2, 2018 is signed by SERAP’s senior legal adviser, Ms Bamisope Adeyanju.
The probe, SERAP, reasoned, would enable the prosecution of Ganduje after leaving office.
As a governor, he currently enjoys immunity.
SERAP’s letter reads in part: “Given the history of corruption in Nigeria, especially unresolved allegations of grand corruption against many state governors, your government cannot and should not look the other way regarding the allegations against Mr Ganduje.
“Any allegations of bribery and abuse of power in any state of Nigeria is of concern to every Nigerian, and should therefore, be of concern to your government.
“The obligations of your government to combat corruption in Nigeria extend to all the three tiers of government, namely, the federal government, state government and local government.
“Although primarily a matter of concern for Kano State, the allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje have assumed such a proportion as to become a matter of concern to the federation as a whole, and therefore, to your government.”
Stating that the step would be in line with the government’s fight against corruption, SERAP said the president should “direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and/or appropriate anti-corruption agencies to without delay investigate allegations of bribery against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, as contained in the widely circulated video clips allegedly showing Mr Ganduje receiving bribe.”
Ganduje is currently facing allegation of corruption bordering on receipt of bribe from contractors.
An online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, published a video of the governor allegedly receiving bribe from a contractor.
The governor has since denied the allegation, saying the video must have been doctored.
The Kano State House of Assembly has set up a committee to probe the case and it is ongoing.
Jaafar Jaafar, publisher of the Daily Nigerian has appeared before the committee and insisted that the video was genuine.
He also offered to make available, the unedited version of the video.
The committee has summoned the governor too, but he refused to appear, sending two of his commissioners to represent him.
He claimed he was attending to a pressing issue at the State House at the time.
He, however, in a statement he submitted to the committee, insisted that there was no truth in the bribery claim against him.
