By Suleiman Anyalewechi
At its inaugural sitting Monday April 29,2024, the Chairman of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry instituted by the Governor of Kano State to carry out an inquest into the activities of the immediate past administration in the State, Justice Faruk Lawan Adamu has assured that all parties will be given a fair hearing.
This is even as he has stated that the Commission was not established to witch-hunt anybody .
In his inaugural speech, Justice Adamu said that the Panel is on a fact-finding mission ,adding that it will at the end of its work only make submissions and recommendations to the Government of Kano state .
Justice Adamu, however, warned that the Panel will not succumb to any primordial sentiments, noting that in the discharge of its assignment, the Commission will strictly be guided by diligence and fairness.
“I wish to emphasise that the Commission will remain committed to the principles of fairness, and honesty and will not be swayed by primordial interests of any kind.
“The Commission was not established to witch-hunt or prosecute anybody . Rather, it is on a fact-finding mission and at the end of our findings we will submit a set of recommendations to the State Government for possible implementation.
“I wish to assure all and sundry that the Commission will be just and give fair hearing to all the parties involved ,be it individuals ,Companies Agencies, or Entities .
In addition, I would like to call on any person that has any useful information or input that will assist the Commission in its assignment to send it in writing for verification after which he or she may be asked to appear before the Commission to testify in person . Note again the Commission is here to serve the interest of the public..
Finally I will like to appeal to the general public and the media in particular to give the Commission the utmost support and cooperation possible and also to avoid the temptation of politicizing the work of the Commission for doing so would be detrimental to the success of the fact finding mission of the Commission.” Justice Adamu stated
According to the Chairman, the terms of reference of the Commission which was established on April 4 by Governor Yusuf include to review the sales, disposal or allocation of all Government owned properties including schools, hospitals religious buildings, burial grounds, historical and cultural sites ,and other open spaces.
“To determine the individuals ,companies, agencies or entities to which such sales and or allocations were made.
The Commission is to, also, determine if any abuses were perpetrated in the process of such sales, disposal and/or allocation ,as well as identify the officials or persons responsible for such abuses .
“The panel, based on its findings is to make recommendations to the Government on how to recover such properties.
The Source reports that Governor Yusuf had on April 4 set up two panels of inquiries to examine alleged cases of misappropriation of Government properties ,and incidences of politically motivated killings in the kano between May 29 2015 and May 29 2023 ,a period that cover the two term tenure of his immediate predecessor in office and currently the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC ,Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje .
The limitations of the Commission’s assignment to only the era of Ganduje ,by the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP led Kano state Government, has however been drawing flakes and condemnation,with not s few describing such an exercise as a classical case of political persecution and witch hunting..
Much as the Commission,’s Chairman has assured of fairness and justice ,in the discharge their tasks such assurances are however invalidated by the exclusion of the era of Governor Yusuf’s Political godfather Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
