>
Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption. Commission has disclosed that it had filed fresh charges against former governor of the state and incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Speaking on ‘Sunrise Daily,’ a Channels Television programme on Tuesday, the chairman of the anti-graft agency, Muhuyi Magaji, said the commission is investigating a case where N51 billion was allegedly diverted by Ganduje’s administration.
Ganduje was governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023.
Magaji said during the twilight of Ganduje’s administration, N1 billion was withdrawn from the state’s accounts for rehabilitation of roads, but the sum was allegedly diverted.
“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. We traced it to people.
“We have filed series of cases. We have a case whereby N1 billion in April last year was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis and it was taken away, 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.
Magaji said the commission is not driven by politics, adding that it is dedicated to the fight against corruption.
“Incidentally, His Excellency, the former governor, was the one that appointed me in 2015 to head the agency and I was re-appointed in 2020 for another five-year term.
“Basically, we have an institution in the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) that is devoid of political activities and dedicated to fighting bcorruption, check maladministration and fight injustice,” he added.
He further stated that a formal invitation would be extended to the former governor.
Recall that the APC leadership in Ganduje ward, in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State had on Monday suspended the former governor from the party over corruption allegations.
But the State Working Committee (SWC) of the APC in Kano State nullified the suspension and handed the members behind the move a six-month suspension from the party.