Tension In Kano As Anti-Graft Agency Nears Ganduje Family Members

A conflict is currently brewing in Kano between the state government and the chairman of state’s Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission (PCACC), Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, following a probe instituted by the commission on contracts said to be linked with some family members of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Reports said the anti-graft commission’s recent decision to investigate some projects including the Cancer Centre and the supply of diesel had pitted it against some members of the first family.

Rimin-Gado, who confirmed the investigation, however, said it is not targeted against any member of the first family but the commission would leave no stone unturned.

There are reports on the alleged move of Ganduje to remove Rimin-Gado.

Governor is said to be mounting pressure on the State Assembly to investigate him.

Ahead of the purported probe of Rimin-Gado, the state government had posted an accountant from the Office of the Accountant-General of the state to replace a young officer said to be a relative of the PCACC chairman.

Before his replacement, the relative served as the commission’s accountant.

The anti-corruption boss, who is an appointee of Governor Ganduje told Daily Trust he welcomed the probe, however, rejected the decision to post a new accountant to the commission.

In a memo sent to the state’s Accountant-General, Rimin-Gado argued that the government lacks the power to decide for his agency.

Earlier in the week, Rimin-Gado alleged that he was facing interference and intimidation from government officials over some corruption allegations leveled against some top officials.

“We have the power to investigate even the Accountant General and even detain him if necessary, that is what the law provides. How then can the Accountant General just wake up one day and pick a paper and pen and write to me that he has appointed a staff for the commission and I will accept? This is in total contradiction of the law,” Rimin-Gado said in a radio interview yesterday.

Daily Trust gathered that the state House of Assembly is already mulling an investigation and inviting the anti-corruption boss.

It was gathered that a standing committee of the assembly on public petition which earlier wrote to the commission for a working visit had to postpone the visit amidst report of an impending probe.

Efforts to hear from the house’s chairman have however proved abortive.

Abba Anwar, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ganduje, could also not reached for comments as his phone number was switched off as of the time of filing this report.

Rimin-Gado, a lawyer, had come under fire for his failure to investigate allegations of corruption against Governor Ganduje, particularly the dollar videos that went viral in October 2018.

Source: Daily Trust

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