Don’t Use Me As Distraction For Your Failures – Ganduje Replies Governor Yusuf

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has reacted to the decision of his successor as Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, to probe the allegations of corruption against him as Governor.

Ganduje described the probe against him as a wild goose chase and an attempt by Governor Yusuf to cover up and distract the people of Kano from his failures.

Naija News recalls the Kano State Government has filed criminal charges against the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife Hafsat and son Umar.

The trio are being charged with alleged $413,000, N1.38bn bribery.

The state said it had assembled 15 witnesses to testify against Ganduje.

Also listed on the charge sheet as defendants are Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd and Lesage General Enterprises.

But in a reaction via a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Ganduje said Governor Yusuf is only diverting attention away from the spotlight on the fact that, there is really nothing on the ground in the state to justify the sharp increase in statutory allocations to the state since the inception of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He added that the Kano State Governor has ignored a court ruling which states that the allegation against him is a federal offence that can only be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The statement reads: “In their desperate attempt to malign me and my family, they either forgot or probably cannot conduct themselves by the dictates of the law,”

“They failed to take judicial notice of the recent pronouncement of the Federal High Court in Kano which ruled that the so-called offence I am being accused of is a federal offence that can only be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Rather than join issues with my traducers in Kano over the trumped-up charges levelled against me, I would implore them to redirect their energies towards easing the plights of our people in Kano.

“They still have the opportunity to revert to my blueprint for the sustainable growth and development of Kano State. It is not yet late in the day for them to emulate my developmental strides. They can still salvage the situation as my tenure was devoid of any wrongdoings.”