Abdullahi Ganduje, immediate past governor of Kano, has
asked a high court in the state to perpetually restrain the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from inviting or investigating him over
video clips allegedly showing him receiving dollars from a contractor.
The clips trended on social media in 2018.
Published by Daily Nigerian, the clips allegedly showed the
former governor receiving bundles of dollar notes and stuffing them inside his
flowing dress known as ‘babanriga’.
While the governor debunked the content of the videos, the Kano house of assembly subsequently set up a committee to investigate the allegations.
The committee is yet to turn in its report and a new
assembly was inaugurated on Tuesday.
In a suit seen by TheCable, the attorney general of Kano
asked the court to restrain the anti-graft agency from investigating him until
a suit between Ganduje and Jafaar Jafaar, publisher of the Daily Nigerian, is
determined.
The EFCC is the only defendant in the suit.
Ganduje, through the former Kano attorney general, asked the
court to declare that the invitation and interrogation of the state universal
basic education board (SUBEB) chairman and accountant general of Kano in
connection to the video is illegal.
Some of the prayers read: “A declaration of this Honourable
Court that by virtue of the supremacy of the 1999 constitution as established
by Sections 1 (1) thereof, since the Kano state house of assembly has begun
investigation pursuant to its powers under section 128 of the 1999 constitution
in connection with the video clips of bribery allegation against Dr. Abdullahi
Umar Ganduje.
“The defendant cannot exercise its investigative powers
under the Sections 6, 7, 13 and 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes
(Establishment) Act 2004 (EFCC ACT), until after the Kano state house of
assembly concludes or bring its investigation to an end.
“A declaration of this Honourable Court that by virtue of
the supremacy of the 1999 constitution as established by Sections I (1)
thereof, and the doctrine of separation of powers since there is a pending Case
No: CV/1598/2021, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduic y, Jaafar Jafaar & Anor,
before high court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Coram: Hon. Justice
Y. Halilu) in which Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is challenging the authenticity
of the said video clips.
“The defendant cannot
exercise its investigative powers under the sections 6, 7 and 13 of the
Economic and Finance Crimes (Establishment) Act 2004 (CFCC ACT), until after
the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Coram: Hon. Justice Y.
Halilu) has decided the matter before it.”
It is unclear if the new administration of Abba Yusuf will
continue with the case.
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