The man investigating the alleged bribery video of APC president Abdullahi Ganduje He is now under investigation by two federal agencies, raising suspicions of a use of federal power to stifle local investigations.
Two federal anti-corruption agencies, the EFCC and the CCB, have written, in separate letters, to the Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaint Commission about their investigation of its chairman, Muhuyi Magaji.
Magaji recently announced Ganduje’s investigation based on a video showing him pocketing dollars, money allegedly received as a bribe from a contractor. That video and the scandal it spawned were described as #GandujeGate by many Nigerians.
Newslodge reported how Ganduje, who stepped down as Kano governor in May, thwarted an investigation into the video scandal by the Kano House of Assembly through various means, including court orders.
While in office, the Ganduje government also accused Magaji of wrongdoing and controversially removed him from office.
However, Magaji was reinstated by Ganduje’s successor as Governor of Kano.
Muhuyi Magaji
About a month after his reinstatement, Magaji announced the Ganduje investigation. A month later, and days after Ganduje emerged as president Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, EFCC and CCB notified that they were investigating Mr. Magaji.
The investigation EFCC, ICPC
He Code of Conduct Office (CCB), in a letter signed by its Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring, Gwimi SP, and addressed to the Kano anti-corruption commission, said it had launched an investigation into Magaji’s alleged violation of the Public Servants Code. .
In the letter dated August 14, he asked the director of the Kano anti-corruption agency’s Personnel Management Department to provide the requested information to assist in the investigation.
“Under the Office’s mandate and powers as enshrined in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Paragraph 3(e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Code of Conduct Office is investigating a case of alleged violation of the Civil Servants Code against a staff member of your organization named Muhuyi Magaji Gado. Accordingly, you are kindly requested to provide the Bureau with Certified True Copies (CTC) of detailed information on the following. I. Your letter of appointment/acceptance II Pay stubs from July 2020 to August 2023; III. Service records,” the CCB wrote.
Meanwhile, the EFCC also summoned the Finance Director of the Kano anti-corruption agency to its head office in Abuja to provide the agency with the relevant transactions involving Mr. Magaji.
The EFCC letter of August 8 was signed by the Acting Deputy Director of Cybercrime and other related crimes, Muhtar Bello. The anti-corruption agency demanded Mr. Magaji’s financial records from 2019.
“The Commission is investigating a case in which the need to obtain certain clarifications from your office is imperative. With the above in mind, you are kindly requested to allow the Director of Finance and Accounts to appear for an interview with the undersigned through the AFF/TC team leader at parcel 301/302 of the research district and Jabi institutions, along Airport Road, Abuja, on Monday. August 29, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
“It must come along with the following information: I. Details of the total funds released to your office by the Kano State Accountant General’s Office from fiscal year 2019 to 2021. II. Details of the total funds released to your office by the Kano State Ministry of Local Government from 2019 to 2021, including executed contracts and details of beneficiary accounts,” the EFCC letter said.
endless crisis
In July 2021, the Kano State Assembly called for Magaji’s suspension as director of the anti-corruption agency for one month for his alleged opposition to the appointment of an accountant from the Office of the Accountant General to the agency. of the State. The state government implemented the resolution.
The suspension, according to the state assembly, followed a complaint letter it received from the state Accountant General’s Office.
The Ganduje administration, which implemented the assembly resolution, subsequently fired Magaji.
While on suspension, Magaji sued the Kano State government for denying him his rights and privileges. He asked the court to revoke his suspension.
Subsequently, the Abuja National Labor Court ruled that Mr. Magaji’s removal was unconstitutional and he remained the substantive head of the commission.
The court declared that Mr. Magaji would be reinstated as substantive chairman of the anti-corruption commission because he had not been given a fair hearing before his dismissal.
The court ordered the Kano State government to pay Mr. Magaji the outstanding wages and arrears. According to reports, the government paid Mr. Magaji his royalties as ordered by the court.
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Abba Yusuf, the incumbent governor, reinstated him in June.
Upon his reinstatement, he launched an investigation into the video showing Ganduje pocketing wads of dollars. The governor allegedly collected the “kickback” from a government contractor.
Mr. Magaji could not be reached for comment on the latest developments when our reporter reached out to him via phone calls and text messages on Saturday. Furthermore, Kano’s Information Commissioner under Ganduje, Mohammed Garba, declined to comment on the matter, referring inquiries to the EFCC and CCB.
Kano Politics
The controversy surrounding Magaji is believed to be part of a larger policy between Ganduje and his predecessor as Kano governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Both men were close allies of Ganduje as a deputy when Kwankwaso was governor of Kano. However, both men later fell out and have become sworn enemies.
Ganduje loyalists had claimed that the #GandujeGate now being investigated by Magaji’s agency was manipulated and made public by Kwankwaso agents. However, a Newslodge investigation showed that the video was authentic.
Kwankwaso tried to oust Ganduje in 2019, but the then-governor narrowly won his re-election amid accusations of voter fraud.
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso
However, in 2023, Kwankwaso’s candidate Yusuf defeated the Ganduje-backed candidate, who had ended his constitutionally permitted second term.
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