You Have No Powers To Appoint Serving Justices To Serve Your Government” – Kano Judge Blasts Gov Yusuf

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Two Justices of the Kano State High Court Farouk Lawan Adamu and Zuwaira Yusuf have been given 48 hours within which to rescue themselves from their roles in the Kano State  Government, or face the consequences.

The Source reports that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had early May this year appointed the two serving Justices to head two Commissions of Inquiry constituted by the State Government to probe the activities of the immediate past administration in the state headed by Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Dr Ganduje is the current National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC.

While Justice Adamu accepted to serve as the Chairman of the Panel to investigate alleged misappropriation of public funds and properties, Justice Yusuf is heading another commission charged with unravelling those behind the spate of thuggery activities and concomitant deaths in kano state between 2015 and 2019.

But ruling on an application filed by Dr Ganduje challenging the legality of the constitution of the probe panels ,Justice Simon Amobeda of a Federal High Court, Kano on Thursday July 4, 2024, insisted that  failure of the two serving justices to distance themselves from performing executive functions within the stipulated dateline, will lead to a formal petition being forwarded against them to  the National Judicial Council NJC  .

Justice Amobeda also ruled that, the NJC which is the 1st defendant in the suit will be compelled to stop the payments of their remunerations, allowances and other benefits, should they (the two serving justices) fail to resign their appointments with the Kano state Government.

Justice Amobeda, blasted his colleagues for throwing caution to the wind ,with their acceptance to serve in the executive arm of the  Kano State Government, while at the same time sitting to adjudicate in matters involving same Executive Arm of Government and other parties.

Similarly, the trial Judge condemned the action of the Kano State Government which instead of appealing against an earlier ruling on  the issue of probing Dr Ganduje at the Appeal Court ,decided to bring same case before a court of same jurisdiction .

The Source reports that, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman of a Federal High Court Kano earlier this year dismissed a corruption case filed by the Kano state Government against Dr Gandunje .

Justice Liman ,had maintained that going by the provisions of extant laws ,only the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC ,and Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission ICPC are empowered to investigate and prosecute corruption  allegations against the immediate past Governor of kano state .

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Amobeda, said the Kano State Government has no powers to appoint the serving justices on to the probe panel.