Abba Gida-Gida drags Kano government to court

The 2019 Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP)’s governorship candidate in Kano, Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida, has dragged Kano State Government to court for allocating Daula Hotel and Shahuci multi-storey car park to “Private individuals”.

A copy of the originating processes obtained by Daily Trust from counsel to the plaintiff, Bashir Yusuf Muhammad, showed that the plaintiff was challenging Ganduje’s administration for diverting the public property to Mudatex and El-samad Nigeria Ltd.

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In the two respective cases with suit numbers K/225/2020 and K/226/2020, Mr Yusuf sought for an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants, their agents, officials, representatives or any other person from tampering, building or developing on the public propriety known as Multi-Storey Car Park situated at Shahuchi and Daula Hotel other than for public purposes.

The plaintiff also sought the court to declare Kano state government’s decision of diverting Daula Hotel to Mudatex and the park to El-samad as illegal, null and void.

The PDP governorship candidate argued that Kano state government’s decision of giving the property to Mudatex and El-samad, who are private individuals, is in gross violation of Section 1, of the land use Act, section 44 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and therefore invalid, illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Speaking with Daily Trust on the matter, counsel to the plaintiff said three cogent reasons compelled his client to file the suit.

“One, he is a bona fide indigene of Kano; two, he was part and parcel of the decision making when these places were transformed for public use and lastly, he has the trust of the people of Kano, thus he considered it obligatory to stand for them whenever the need arises,” he said.

Other respondents in the suit are Mudassir Idris, El-Samad Nigeria Ltd, Kano State Bureau for Land Management, Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development, Ministry of Housing and Transport, as well as the Attorney General of Kano State.

While reacting on behalf of the state government, the commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said Abba Gida-Gida was crying wolf where there was none just to attract public attention.

“This is a non-existent issue.

“There is no document to prove that a government property was allocated to any individual or private organisation.

“The issue of Daula Hotel in particular, which was discussed at the council meeting, was just a proposal and it is allowed for any individual or organization to submit a proposal and government would have to look at it if it is a viable project, then government will follow due process.

“Government will not just allocate a property without knowing the arrangement.

“If it is PPP or otherwise; what is the quantum of the investment; what will go to either party to the agreement and lot more.

“So, Abba should have done his homework very well before initiating this exercise in futility and I believe he is only going to waste his resources as he has no documents to support his claims,” he said.