Ganduje fails to appear before Kano assembly, denies taking bribe

Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano governor, on Friday failed to appear before the state house of assembly committee investigating the videos of him allegedly receiving kickbacks from contractors.

The governor sent Muhammadu Garba, commissioner for information, and Ibrahim Mukhtar, justice commissioner, to represent him.

Ganduje was said to be busy attending to pressing engagements at the government house.

According to the justice commissioner, the letter of invitation gave Ganduje the option of sending a representative or a written document as provided by the country’s constitution.

The information commissioner, lawyer to the governor, submitted his position on the alleged bribery videos.

The governor denied collecting bribe from contractors, saying the video clips were aimed at tarnishing his image politically.

He said: “Such untruth publications was done to the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi the II and also to the former Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.”

Baffa Danagundi, chairman of the committee, commended the commissioners for standing in for the governor.

He said the committee will scrutinise the video on Tuesday in the presence of the representatives of both parties to the matter.

Daily Nigerian has so far published no less than three videos showing Ganduje allegedly receiving kickbacks in dollars.

The justice commissioner, who is also the state’s attorney general, praised the state assembly committee for its fairness in the handling of the issue.