By Abdulmumin Murtala
Kano—The senator representing Kano Central, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, said, yesterday, he was aware of the video which showed Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State allegedly receiving money from some contractors, but did everything possible to stop the release to the public to no avail.
He also said President Muhammadu Buhari was misinformed that he diverted Kano State’s money for his presidential campaign and that Governor Ganduje completed the projects he abandoned.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, stated this on a live programme on Aminchi FM in Kano.
Kwankwaso
Senator Kwankwaso said he pleaded with the Publisher of the online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, which released the video, but noted that they refused to heed his plea.
His words: “I was aware of the video clips before they were released to the public and I pleaded that they should not be released, but they didn’t listen to me.
“I am not happy that the video clips were made public because it is an embarrassment to the state and its people, including myself.”
News of release of the video, which was recorded in 2017, broke last October after the governor was accused of collecting $5 million described as bribe from some contractors operating in the state, who were said to have recorded the development.
The governor reacted immediately, denying collecting money from any contractor, even as he said it was a calculated attempt to impugn his person.
However, the state House of Assembly summoned the Publisher of the online newspaper, Jaafar Jaafar, to appear before an ad hoc committee set up to investigate the incident and submit clips of the video, which he did.
The governor was, thereafter, invited by the committee, after he had threatened to sue the online newspaper.
Instead of appearing before the committee in person, Governor Ganduje sent his Information Commissioner, Mohammed Garba, to stand in for him.
He later sued the online newspaper for N3 billion, despite earlier intervention by the House of Assembly that he should not do so.
Ganduje completed Shekarau’s projects—Kwankwaso
Kwankwaso also said it not true that his immediate successor, Governor Ganduje completed the projects he was said to have abandoned.
According to him, “the President was misinformed. He has no idea about what is going on in Kano. There is no project left behind by me that was completed by Ganduje.
“What he completed are the former governor Shekarau’s uncompleted projects, not mine.
“I instructed my supporters not to react to that, as there was no need because those informing the President lied to him.”
He added that he has regards for President Buhari, but that he didn’t think it proper that those around him to concoct lies to him, especially in an international arena in France.
He further explained that the projects being referred to were in the health sector, which he said were initiated and left uncompleted by former governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, who has now joined All Progressives Congress, APC.