The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kano State, Abdullahi Abbas has backed the establishment of Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe sales of public properties and assets between 2015 and 2023.
However, the leader of the opposition urged the state government to extend the investigation to cover activities of government from 1999-2003 and that of 2011-2015 where the then governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso allegedly disposed about 70 percent of government property and fraudulently allocated to friends and families.
Abbas also noted, that sharing of the state assets took place right under the nose of Abba Kabir Yusuf when he was the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport.
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This is contained in a statement issued in Kano on Saturday, signed by the State’s party Chairman.
The APC further observed that the composition of the commission’s membership reveals that it is made up of members of the NNPP and other partisan politicians.
“This singular act clearly shows that the commission has been assigned with a duty to witch-hunt and politically victimize the subjects of investigation in the unwarranted assignment,” the statement said.
The APC Chairman also stated that the government should be upright in its dealings by not selfishly restricting its investigation to between 2015 and 2023.
“From 2011-2015, the controversial five kilometer road projects in the 44 local
governments were awarded and only for the funds to be misappropriated without the project being executed.
“During the same period under review, over N3 billion was also earmarked for a
particular project but misappropriated by Kwankwaso during his Presidential Campaign in Lagos when N70 million was released by each local government,” he explained.
Abbas added that just as it is claiming to be fair to all, the government should invite all the 44 Local Government Council Chairmen that served during Kwankwaso’s administration to give account of what really transpired in order to unravel the mystery behind the
misappropriated funds.
The Chairman further alleged the instance of misuse of public funds when the Kwankwaso administration took a Machiavellian reform of the Pension Law to use over N4 billion from Pension Trust Fund to misappropriate pensioner’s fund between 2011–2015 the impact of which is still revibrating on the pensioners in the state.
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On the second commission to investigate political violence in the state before and during the last general elections, the APC Chairman also made reference to violence allegedly perpetrated by the NNPP loyalists.
“Since 2019 when they were in the opposition, the people of Kano were very much aware of how elements of this government and it’s supporters have threatened the peace in the state. Even while in government, the violence perpetrated to celebrate it’s coming to power is still fresh in our minds,” it indicated.
He said key stakeholders of this government that include the Secretary to the State Government, a Commissioner and two Advisers also threatened to kill judges of the 2023 Election Petition Tribunal in a viral video, but nothing was done to assuage the situation.
It is shocking and disturbing that despite the threat to lives meted out by one of the Commissioners against the Judicial officers his name was resubmitted to the Kano State House of Assembly for further confirmation as Commissioner and he has since been cleared by the said House.
It is no doubt that the clearance of the said commissioner clearly demonstrates that evil deed is “viable venture” in the Government of Kano State because the doers are encouraged, appeased and rewarded abundantly.
“Between 1999 -2003, the violence that erupted in Kwankwaso town of Madobi local government when people objected to the crowning of Kwankwaso’s father with traditional title, lives were lost and properties vandalized.
“Members of the NNPP brandishing dangerous weapons including guns, shooting sporadically during campaigns as a result of which some were killed and many others injured in Gwarzo and Wudil” the statement said.
While the All Progressives Congress (APC) will continue to be law abiding, it will not, however, condone witch-hunt, political victimization and persecution. The Government needs to be reminded that the mentioned scandals will one day be investigated.