Bribery allegation: You have no powers to investigate Ganduje, court tells Kano Assembly

A High Court on Thursday declared that the Kano State House of Assembly has no power to investigate the bribery allegation against Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje.

Delivering, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, held that the first and second defendants, (the state Assembly and the seven-man committee set up by the House) lacked the powers to investigate the allegation.

Badamasi held that the defendants can not investigate the bribery allegation against Gov. Ganduje as alleged by the editor of the online Newspaper, Daily Nigerian, Jafar Jafar.

He also held that the online Newspaper should have sent the video clips when he came across them to the Police, EFCC or any Anti-graft agency as they are the only bodies that have powers to investigate the bribery allegation.

The judge, issued an order of injunction, preventing the parties from conducting further investigation in respect of the matter.

The Judge, who cited Kogi and Delta, where there was a similar case, said he also depended on sections 128 Sub-sector 2 and section 129 of the constitution which explicitly explains that the state Assembly had no right or powers to conduct criminal investigation against the governor.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the judgment, counsel to the assembly, Mohammed Waziri, said he would talk to his clients on whether to appeal against the judgment.

“The judgment was sound because it considered the provisions of the constitution,” he said.

In his remarks, the third defendant, who is also the state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ibrahim Muktar expressed satisfaction with the judgment, saying the judge had quoted the relevant section of the constitution which says the House has no power to conduct criminal investigation against the governor.

Also speaking, counsel for the pPlaintiff, Mohamed Zubair, described the judgment as victory for democracy, judiciary and constitution as the court had confirmed that the state Assembly has no power to conduct the investigation. (NAN)