Former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, is seeking protection from the high court in the State against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigating him over 2018 leaked video clips allegedly showing him receiving stacks of dollars from a contractor.
The videos leaked and went viral in 2018, showing the then-governor receiving envelopes full of cash which he proceeded to stuff into his flowing babanriga attire, however Ganduje disputed the allegations. The Kano House of Assembly set up a probe committee to investigate the issue and the committee has not yet submitted its report.
Now a former Attorney General of Kano State has asked the court to stop the anti-graft agency from investigating Ganduje until a suit between him and Jafaar Jafaar, publisher of the Daily Nigerian, is determined. Ganduje is seeking a declaration from the court that the invitation and interrogation of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) chairman and accountant general of Kano in connection to the video is illegal.
Court Prayers
Ganduje’s lawyers pleaded:
“A declaration of this Honourable Court that by virtue of the supremacy of the 1999 constitution as established by Sections 1 (1) thereof, since the Kano state house of assembly has begun investigation pursuant to its powers under section 128 of the 1999 constitution in connection with the video clips of bribery allegation against Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“The defendant cannot exercise its investigative powers under the Sections 6, 7, 13 and 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act 2004 (EFCC ACT), until after the Kano state house of assembly concludes or bring its investigation to an end.
“A declaration of this Honourable Court that by virtue of the supremacy of the 1999 constitution as established by Sections I (1) thereof, and the doctrine of separation of powers since there is a pending Case No: CV/1598/2021, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Jaafar Jafaar & Anor, before high court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Coram: Hon. Justice Y. Halilu) in which Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is challenging the authenticity of the said video clips.
“The defendant cannot exercise its investigative powers under the sections 6, 7 and 13 of the Economic and Finance Crimes (Establishment) Act 2004 (CFCC ACT), until after the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Coram: Hon. Justice Y. Halilu) has decided the matter before it,”
Ganduje is therefore asking the high court to declare that the EFCC has no powers to invite or interrogate the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) chairman and accountant general of Kano in relation to the video.
