By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The immediate past Governor of Kano State, North West Nigeria, Abdullahi Ganduje, has been summoned for questioning by the state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) in connection with controversial videos of 2017.
Online publication, Daily Nigerian had released some videos of Ganduje allegedly collecting kickbacks from contractors. He was pictured stuffing packets of dollar-denominated currency in his native wear, stoking suspicion.
The APC chieftain has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying the videos were manipulated.
The NNPP-led government of Abba Yusuf in Kano has been accused of vendetta against his predecessor, Ganduje.
But speaking on Wednesday at a one-day public dialogue on ‘Anti-Corruption Crusade in Kano’, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, chairman of PCACC, said the videos had been authenticated, stating that they were subjected to forensic analysis which indicated that they were authentic.
Rimingado in a chat with Channels TV on Thursday revealed that the commission had written and dispatched an invitation letter to the former governor to appear before the commission so as to provide necessary information in the ongoing investigation.
Magaji said the agency’s belief in the legal maxim of “innocent until proven guilty” will apply to the ex-governor as it does to all and that it believes the investigation will give the ex-governor the opportunity to finally get to clear his name in the controversy.
“I have signed a letter to invite him for questioning at the commission next week because this is what the law says and we will provide ample opportunity for him to defend himself,” he said.