A Federal High Court in Kano has issued a ruling preventing the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) from inviting or investigating Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), regarding bribery allegations leveled against him.
Presiding over the case, the judge highlighted that the alleged infractions fall under federal jurisdiction, deeming it outside the scope of the state anti-graft agency.
The court emphasised that matters of this nature should be handled by federal agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Reacting to the judgment, Usman Fari, counsel for the PCACC, announced plans to appeal the verdict, expressing his client’s dissatisfaction with the ruling.
Conversely, Matthew Burkaa, legal representative for Ganduje, hailed the decision as a correct interpretation of the law, commending the court’s stance.
The bribery allegations surfaced in 2018 when Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, released a video purportedly showing Ganduje allegedly receiving bundles of dollars from contractors, which he then allegedly concealed within his traditional attire, known as “babanriga.” The newspaper alleged that Ganduje solicited a $5 million bribe from the contractors captured in the video.
Subsequently, PCACC extended an invitation to Ganduje for questioning in July 2023 after his eight-year double terms as Kano governor, prompting the former governor to challenge the agency’s authority through a legal suit.
In a preemptive move, Ganduje had also sought legal protection from the EFCC’s potential investigation by filing a separate suit in June 2023.
