Correspondence from the EFCC and the CCB to the Kano State government’s PCACC obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that the two anti-graft agencies had become interested in taking over the investigations and “assist” Ganduje get out of the ropes of the Kano State government.
The immediate past Governor of Kano State and current Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, is currently making subtle moves through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to manipulate the ongoing corruption probe by the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) of his administration.
Correspondence from the EFCC and the CCB to the Kano State government’s PCACC obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that the two anti-graft agencies had become interested in taking over the investigations and “assist” Ganduje get out of the ropes of the Kano State government.
SaharaReporters had reported on August 3 that Ganduje emerged as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after succeeding Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who resigned in the third week of July.
President Bola Tinubu had shown interest in Ganduje succeeding Adamu.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PCACC, Barrister Muhyi Magaji Rimingado was removed by Ganduje and the then House of Assembly in controversial circumstances, which were not unconnected with an attempt by the PCACC under Magaji to investigate the “Gandollar” video and corruption allegations involving the wife of the former governor.
It was also learnt that the police was used to hound Magaji and charged to court. But he promptly filed an action in industrial court to contest his removal and subsequent persecution and was vindicated by the court, which ordered his reinstatement as the PCACC Chairman.
The current governor of Kano State, in obvious obedience to the court order, reinstatement Magaji and since the reinstatement, several cases of corruption allegations and abuse of office revealed by the PCACC.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, top sources revealed that recently, an aide of the former governor and his children, joint owners of a company allegedly used to divert over N4billion under the government of former Governor Ganduje, were arrested by the Commission and several equipment and tractors were recovered from their warehouse as well.
“We can also confirm the discovery of about 543 plots of lands allegedly misappropriated by the former governor through a company linked to him and his children. Some domestic staffs also were found to have bank accounts with several billions of Naira deposited in them and currently frozen by the commission.
“All these actions and discoveries have prompted the former governor to target the Chairman of the Kano Commission, using the Police, EFCC and Code of Conduct Bureau. First, it was the police redeploying the leading police operative of the Commission from Kano to other locations through a signal from the force headquarters,” one of the sources revealed.
“This week, the combination of the EFCC and CCB have both sent out letters to the Commission, requesting information pertaining to investigation of the commission. The Commission and CCB that are yet to initiate investigation into Ganduje and other members of his cabinet severally accused of corruption, including the son of Ganduje who petitioned his mother to EFCC, wife of the Governor, before fleeing from the country, are very prompt in writing to Muhyi,” another source corroborated.
SaharaReporters gathered that Ganduje was worried the investigation of the Kano Commission would further cause him and his party, APC, embarrassment if released to the public and resorted to using his influence as APC chairman to recruit both the EFCC and the CCB for a cover up.
“President Tinubu already laid foundation for Ganduje's audacity with his (Tinubu’s) support for Godswill Akpabio to emerge as Senate President; he also appointed a former governor under EFCC investigations as a minister and finally, Ganduje as Party Chairman,” one of the sources lamented.