A senator from Kano State, Jibrin Barau, has said that the viral videos showing Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje collecting bribe were part of calculated attempts to score political points.
The senator, who represents Kano North on the platform of APC, said the purpose of the videos, which he described as fake, was to smear the governor and prevent him from winning his second term bid in 2019.
He accused a former governor of the state as being part of the sponsors of the viral videos, noting that the sponsors have failed as nothing would stop the governor from achieving his political heights.
Barau, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, called on Nigerians, especially indigene of Kano State, to disregard the videos.
“I have watched with great incredulity videos making the rounds in the social media from an online medium, Daily Nigerian, where technology was put to an ingenious devilish use by some agents of darkness masquerading as anti-corruption crusaders depicting His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Executive Governor of Kano State purportedly receiving bribe in his office.
“It amazes me how low we can go in this country to try to bring people down for very selfish political ends, else how does one explain this outrageous manipulation aimed at no other thing than to rubbish the good name and reputation of a performing Governor so loved by our people.
“Already, Video Tech Analysts have come up with a damning verdict branding the video as Fake owing to the manifest incoherence in the dates and time shown in the video as well as the use of technology to make the set up look real.
“I would not have taken the satanic video clips serious but for the masquerades behind it, who are rabid supporters of a former Governor of the State who is at loggerheads with His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“The same antics was used to malign and blackmail His Eminence, the Emir of Kano, Dr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi until the same source came to tell the world that the material so depicted was in fact cloned and fake.
“May I use this opportunity to state without mincing words that His Excellency, Dr. Ganduje is a Governor whose integrity is above board. As a Senator from Kano State, I have watched with amazement over the years his anti-corruption stance.
“What is playing out now is nothing but a failed attempt to destroy the image of the Governor, turn the citizenry of the state and his massive supporters against him, then reap political benefits in 2019! No way!! The evil plot is dead on arrival.
“I therefore call on the good, discerning people of Kano State to treat the fake videos circulating as nothing but trash.
“Meanwhile, let it be made abundantly clear that Governor Ganduje is not distracted with this satanic conspiracy. Rather, he is busy implementing his robust development agenda for the State.
“As for 2019, Governor Ganduje’s sterling performance in office stands him, President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the State in good stead for re-election before the Kano electorates, therefore no amount of subterfuge and blackmail can can change.
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