Embattled former governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje appears to have finally entered ‘one chance” with the state government.
On Thursday, the state Anti-corruption agency invited him to explain his involvement in an alleged bribery to a state government contractor while he was governor.
Recall that in 2017, Daily Nigeria, an online publication released some videos of Ganduje allegedly collecting ‘dillar’ kickbacks from contractors in the state.
The video which went viral at the time affected the former governor’s reputation, but he denied the allegation claiming that the video was doctored.
Apart from sacking the state’s Anti-corruption corruption boss at the time, Ganduje also got an order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from investigating him.
The new administration of Governor Abba Yusuf has since reinstated the Anti-graft boss, who has now invited the former governor for questioning.
His invitation comes barely few days after three commissioners in Ganduje’s administration were arrested by the Anti-graft agency.
It’s indeed, a difficult time for the former All Progressives Congress, APC, governor as the incumbent has insisted on the probe of his administration, watchers of Kano politics say.
Things started falling apart for the former governor barely a month after exiting office, as properties belonging to him and his cronies were seized, and other structures allegedly acquired illegally by him and his family members in some parts of the state, demolished.
Ganduje has blamed his predicaments on predecessor, former Governor Musa Kwakwanso, regarded by not a few as the godfather of the current governor, who is his son-in-law.
The invitation on Ganduje by the Anti-graft agency, is seen by many as a ploy to further rubbish the former governor.
Speaking on Channels television on Thursday, the Chairman of the agency Muhyi Magaji said he has sent an invitation to Ganduje to appear before it next week.
He said, “I just signed an invitation letter for him (Ganduje) to appear next week because this is what the law says.”
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC has insisted that the former governor will not honour the invitation, describing the probe as politically motivated attempt by the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, administration in the state to embarrass the former governor.
In a statement on Thursday co-signed by the Chairman of the party in Kano, Abdulahi Abbas; and APC Secretary, Zakari Sarina, the party said the matter is already in court.
“The detractors are engaged in this campaign of calumny to draw a wedge between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ganduje, one of the President’s strongest allies in the North,” the APC in Kano said.
