Court insists Kano Assembly must discontinue Ganduje’s alleged bribe probe

The Kano State House of Assembly has again been ordered not to go ahead with the probe of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s alleged bribe-taking video.

This came on Monday as a Kano High Court upheld its earlier order barring the state House of Assembly Investigative Committee from continuing with the probe.

The further ordered other parties involved in the investigation to maintain status quo ante, until the determination of the originating summon.

The originating summon it was learnt, was instituted by Mohammed Zubair, national coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria.

Following series of videos that showed Governor Ganduje receiving kickbacks from a contractor in the state, Kano Assembly had constituted a committee to investigate the matter.

But while the probe was ongoing, an order of the court asked the lawmakers to halt the probe.

The lawmakers had vowed to proceed with the probe despite the court order.

However, when the matter came up again in the court on Monday for hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Kalid Abdullatif argued that going by Order 29, Rule 1 and Order 28, Rule 1 and 4 of the Rules of the Court, 2014, the application filed on behalf of the plaintiff on November 5, restraining the defendants, Kano State House of Assembly, Baffa Babba Danagundi and the state Attorney-General from further investigation of the bribery allegation, still subsist.

He said, “The application still remains an Order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendants, either by themselves, agents, privies, or officials, or other persons, whosoever, from further inviting anybody, questioning, examining, making any further Press Releases, releasing or playing any further video tapes, investigation or further proceedings, with the, or any bribery allegation against Gov. Ganduje, or anybody, whatsoever, therewith, pending the determination of the substantive suit before this Honourable Court.“

He went further to say that it was “unconstitutional” for the defendants to have constituted a committee to investigate the bribery allegation against Governor Ganduje in the first place.

In their response, counsel to the state House of Assembly (first defendant) and Investigative Committee chairman, Baffa Babba Dan Agundi (second defendant), Mohammed Waziri, told the court that his clients are law-abiding citizens and would not breach the law in any way.

He said, “I wish to state that the First and Second defendants are law-makers and law-abiding citizens. The Order came a day to the date slated to listen to witnesses at the Investigative Panel.

“Since then, no step has been taken by the state House of Assembly or the Investigative Committee to breach the law. This is to tell you that Kano state House of Assembly is law-abiding.
“The Assembly has no intention whatsoever to take any further steps until the subsisting matter is decided upon because constitutional issues are being raised.”

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, aIbrahim Muktar, who is the third Defendant refused to object to the prayers of counsel to the plaintiff.

READ ALSO: ‘Next question please’, EFCC chair Magu refuses to comment on Ganduje’s alleged bribe videos

In his ruling therefore, the presiding Judge, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, ordered that all the parties in the case must maintain the status quo ante, pending the determination of the originating summon.

He then applauded counsel to the defendants for advising his clients wisely.

Consequently, the judge adjourned the case to November 21, for hearing of the originating motion on summon.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now