The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated why it is not probing Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, over allegations of corruption because he’s enjoying immunity.
Mr Ganduje has been seen recently in series of video clips receiving wraps of dollars from an undisclosed person.
Daily Nigerian, the news portal which published the videos alleged that the governor was receiving kickbacks from contractors of the state government in the video clips.
The Kano State Assembly probing the matter has so far suspended its investigation due to court injunctions instituted by the governor who has so far denied the allegation saying the videos showing him receiving bribe were cloned.
For the anti-graft agency, Ganduje still enjoys immunity as benefits of being in office and this has made the commission turn a blind eye to the allegation.
“The governor is still serving and constitutionally is covered by immunity,” the EFCC tweeted on Friday during a tweet meet organised by Tap Nitiative for Citizens Development, a public accountability think-tank.
“Being that as it may, the matter is in the instance sub judice.”
When asked why the commission probed former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose while he was still in office, the EFCC said it does not make public its findings of investigation.
While Fayose belongs to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ganduje is of the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC).
“The EFCC normally doesn’t give out information on investigations,” the handle.
“Investigation of anyone for an alleged fraud remains a covert process,” it added.
According to the online publication, the videos recorded in 2017 was aimed at beaming the spotlight on the governor’s alleged penchant for contract racketeering.
The medium said it has about 12 of the clips with six of it already in the public domain. A court injunction has halted the release of the remaining videos.
The video that was uploaded by Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, showed the governor receiving bundles of dollars and putting them into his white dress known as ‘babanriga’ in the northern part of Nigeria.
According to the online newspaper, the governor had allegedly requested $5 million from the contractors, who recorded the video while handing part of the payment to him.
Since the video surfaced online, it has generated a lot of reactions from Kano people, with some saying it was, in general, a dent on President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption agenda since the governor is a member of the ruling party of the ruling APC.
Many people are already of the opinion that reactions so far generated by the alleged bribery video may likely impact on the second term bid of the Governor.
The anti-graft agency had last week skipped questions when asked its position of the video when the acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, celebrated 3 years in office.
President Muhammadu Buhari has described Ganduje as a responsible fellow in the midst of the allegation.
