The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission has announced new charges against current National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling party the All Progresives Congress (APC), until lately Kano State’s Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Meanwhile, the party says that his purported suspension, announced on Sunday by his ward was by “fake” APC members and officers, whom it has invited the Inspector General of Police to investigate.
According to the commission’s Chairman, Muhuyi Magaji, investigations uncovered the diversion of N51.3 billion from local government funds to unauthorized individuals during Ganduje’s tenure.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, Magaji alleged that the Ganduje administration withdrew N1 billion monthly from state coffers before its tenure ended in May 2023, purportedly for road renovation, but diverted to Bureau de Change operators instead.
He also cited a case involving N4 billion transferred to an agricultural company from Kano’s consolidated revenue account.
“What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg. As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3 billion local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.
“We have filed a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1 billion in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis, and it was taken away and sent to Bureau de Change.
“We have a case of N4 billion whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court,” he said.
The state government has said it will arraign Ganduje, alongside his wife and son, for money laundering, later this week.
APC CANCELS HIS SUSPENSION BY WARD CHAPTER
In a statement signed by Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, under the title, “PURPORTED SUSPENSION OF APC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN – DEVIOUS ACT OF IMPOSTERS, FAKE NEWS,” the party said:
“The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to media reports of the purported suspension of the National Chairman, HE Dr. Abdulahi Umar Ganduje, CON, from the Party by the Executive Committee of the Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.
“The purported suspension was the devious act of a group of impersonators of Ward officials out to cause mischief and create confusion in the otherwise peaceful Ganduje Ward chapter of our Party. The perpetrators of this criminal act are not card carrying members of APC in the Ward but are individuals affiliated with senior officials and representatives of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP).
“This act procured by officials of the ruling NNPP in Kano is part of the despicable program of political persecution launched by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf against Dr. Ganduje, a former Governor of Kano state.
“The purported suspension is downright criminal, and of no effect whatsoever. The legitimate Executive Committee of the Ganduje Ward has since denounced the action and reaffirmed Dr. Ganduje as a bonafide member of the Party in the Ward, and in good standing.
“The Party has filed a petition with the Inspector General of Police requesting an expedited investigation of this matter and that the perpetrators and their sponsors be brought to justice.
“We urge our Party faithful and the general public to disregard reports of the suspension of the National Chairman who is, and remains, the National Chairman of our great Party.”
