Dollar video: Kano commission lacks powers to probe Ganduje – Court

AFederal High Court has held that the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission (PCACC) lacks powers to invite or investigate APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje over accusation of dollar bribery video.

Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman delivered the judgement on Tuesday in Kano after Ganduje in July 2023 filed a suit seeking protection of his fundamental rights against possible breach and violation when chairman of the commission, Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, invited him to appear and answer questions bordering on the dollar bribery.

The court had restrained the commission from inviting or investigating Ganduje until final determination of the suit.

An online medium, Daily Nigerian had in 2018 when

Ganduje was governor of Kano State published the viral videos showing him receiving bundles of dollars from a contractor.

But Governor Ganduje denied the accusation saying the video was doctored.

The commission employed the services of Lagos based human rights lawyer Femi Falana to defend its course of action. It contended before Justice Liman that it had commenced investigation into the bribery video in 2018 following a petition but could not complete its investigation because Ganduje enjoyed immunity at the time.

Justice Liman held that the offence allegedly committed by the applicant and which the commission is investigating was a federal offence and therefore, the commission lacks powers to invite Ganduje for the alleged offences that ought to have been investigated by federal agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).