The Kano state government has said the ongoing investigation by the state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission over alleged sale of landed properties belonging to the Kano Emirate has nothing to do with Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, stressing that the governor has no grudges against the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi ll.
The governor was reacting to the front page lead story of the Daily Trust newspaper of Friday.
The state commissioner for information, Malam Muhammad Garba in a statement on Friday noted that the commission is backed by the relevant laws to carry out such investigations, adding that “Governor Ganduje do not interfere with the activities of the commission and only learnt about the probe when it got to the press”.
The commissioner added that, “Governor Ganduje has no grudges against the monarch, and even the issue of the creation of new Emirates in the state, which appears to be at the centre of the stuff, followed due process,”
Daily Trust had gathered that Emir Sanusi is facing fresh investigation by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission over alleged sale of landed properties belonging to the Kano Emirate Council
Documents obtained by our reporter showed that the emirate entered a joint venture partnership with a private firm, Capital Properties Nigeria Limited (CPNL), for the development of one of the lands known as (Gandun Sarki) at Hotoro, in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state.
The deal with CPNL was reached through a six-member committee set up by the emirate under the chairmanship of Jarman Kano, Professor Isa Hashim to coordinate the transaction.
However, the commission told Daily Trust that it has arrested two members of the committee for “allegedly collecting N20m kickbacks and allegedly fronting for the emir and would be charged to court for extortion and collecting gratification.”
When contacted, the chairman of the committee told our reporter that only the Kano Emirate Council could comment on the issue. The emirate has not yet responded to our request for comment.
This fresh investigation is coming few days after the Supreme Court affirmed Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s victory. The governor has been at loggerhead with Emir Sanusi and many see this as a continuation of the initial crisis that led to the creation of additional four new emirates in the state.
