The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa local government area of Kano State has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, from the party.
The announcement was made by the ward’s legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, who addressed journalists in Kano on Monday.
Gwanzo justified the suspension by pointing to claims that the Kano State administration had accused Ganduje of bribery and corruption.
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“Due to the seriousness of the allegation made against Dr Ganduje, we have decided to suspend him from the party”, Gwanzo stated.
He says the suspension will remain in place until he disavows the accusations.
It would be recalled that the Kano State Government has instituted criminal charges against the National Chairman of All Progressive Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, over alleged $413,000, N1.38bn bribery.
Joined as co-defendants in the charge sheet dated April 3, 2024, were his wife, Hafsat, and his son, Umar.
Others listed as defendants were Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd and Lesage General Enterprises.
One of the charges read: “That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometime between the period of January 10, 2016, or thereabouts, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State corruptly asked for and received the sum of $200,000 being benefit for yourself from one of the beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the Kano State Government on your instruction and approval as part of your function as the Governor of Kano State, thereby committed the offence of official corruption, contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law No 2 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.”
In the second count, the state government said, Ganduje, on February 10, 2017, “dishonestly and corruptly to your advantage collected a kick-back of the sum of $ 213,000 being money generated from people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contact and or project for the remodelling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent).”
In another count, the state alleged that Ganduje, between September 2020 and March 2021, “together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a businessman, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, wholly owned and maintained by the 3rd defendant, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: dishonestly converted to your use the sum of N1,376,000,000 through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd defendant being money earmarked and approved for the purchase and supply of face masks and other hospital equipment for the health sector, thereby causing wrongful loss to the people and the government of Kano State and thereby jointly committed the offence of criminal conspiracy contrary to Section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.
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The Kano State’s Attorney General, Muhuyi Magaji, said he was empowered by Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 121(1), 126(b) and 377 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2019 “to apply to prefer the charge attached herewith against the defendants.”
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