Headlines
Bribery, Corruption: Kano Govt Files Criminal Charges Against Ex-Gov Ganduje, Wife, Son
The Kano State government has filed a fresh lawsuit against former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar and six others before a State High Court.
The six other defendants joined in the fresh suit include Ganduje’s son, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises.
The government is dragging Ganduje and seven others before the court on eight count charges concerning dollar bribery allegation, misappropriations and diversion of funds running into billions of Naira.
The charges read: “That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes between the period of January 10th 2016 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State corruptly asked for and received the sum of $200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) being benefit for yourself from one of the beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the Kano State Government on your instruction and approval as part of your function as the Governor of Kano State thereby committed the offence of official corruption contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law N02 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometime between the period of February 2017 or there about, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State agreed to do or caused to be done an illegal act, to wit, dishonestly and/or corruptly to your own advantage collected a kick back of the sum of $ 213,000 (Two Hundred And Thirteen Thousand United State Dollars) being money generated from people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contact and or project for the remodeling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent) thereby committed the offence of official corruption contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of The Kano State Public Complaints and Anticorruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law N02 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes between the period of September 2020 and march 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a Business man, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, wholly owned and maintained by the 3 rd Defendant, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of (One Billion Three Hundred and seventy Six million Naira) through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd Defendant being monies earmarked and approved for the purchase and supply of face marks and other hospital equipment for the health sector, thereby causing wrongful loss to the people and government of Kano State and thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometimes between the period of September 2020 and January 2022 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a Business man, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, while entrusted with the sum of (One Billion Three Hundred and seventy Six million Naira) or dominion over the said sum, earmarked for the purchase and supply of face masks and other hospital equipment dishonestly misappropriated and/or converted the said sum to your own use through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3 rd defendant, thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of The penal code (as amended) CAP, 105, Vol.2.
The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes between the period march of 2021 or there about, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family conspire with the 4th defendant (Umar Abdullahi Umar) being your biological son using defendant (Lamash Properties Ltd) a company owned and or operated by members of your family including the 4th defendant and dishonestly allocated 501 (five hundred and one) high density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPD/256B in the name of 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you being the Governor of Kano State from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) were it was sold and the proceed part of which the sum of (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. Domicile at Access Bank where dollar equivalent was given to the defendant to the detriment of the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991,” the charges read.
By Eric Elezuo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been declared winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made at the Trascorp Hilton Hotel, where the final collation of results was made.
The former Vice President polled a total of 1, 846, 370 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, who scored just over 500 thousand votes. Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen came third.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
