Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Muhammadu Buhari over “failure to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and/or appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations of bribery against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, as contained in the widely circulated video clips allegedly showing Mr Ganduje receiving bribe.”

SERAP had in November asked the president to direct the investigation of Mr Ganduje, stating that, “if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, for him to face prosecution at the expiration of his tenure as governor.” The organization also sought protection for the journalist Jaafar Jaafar, who reportedly published the video clips.

However, SERAP said since the receipt of its letter and to date, President Buhari has failed to grant its requests. Also, a Kano State high court last week stopped the Kano State House of Assembly from investigating the $5 million bribery allegation against Mr Ganduje.

Consequently, in the suit number FHC/L/CS/2055/18 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, SERAP is seeking “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing and/or compelling Mr Buhari to immediately direct the investigation of allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje.”

SERAP said: “The Applicant’s requests are not onerous but simply based on issues of public interest, good governance, transparency and accountability. It is in the interest of justice to grant this application, as the Respondent has nothing to lose if the application is granted.”

The suit is also seeking an order to compel Mr Buhari to “instruct appropriate security and law enforcement agencies to ensure the protection and guarantee the safety and security of journalist Jaafar Jaafar.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its counsel, Ms. Bamisope Adeyanju read in part: “Investigating allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje would be entirely consistent with the provisions of section 15 subsection (5) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires the government of the Respondent to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power, regardless of the state where such practices are taking place. The Constitution defines ‘government’ to include federal, state and local governments.”

“Growing allegations of corruption against many state governors have not been investigated and several of the governors involved are getting away with their alleged crimes. Granting the reliefs sought would assist the Respondent to succeed in his fight against corruption and help to combat corruption among many state governors, who continue to allegedly mismanage their states’ resources with almost absolute impunity.”

“The Attorney-General of the Federation has power conferred on him by section 174(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and anticorruption agencies have the powers to act on the allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje for the sake of discharging their mandates, ensuring transparency and accountability, promoting the common good, peace, order and good government of the federation (which includes Kano State).”

“Under the provisions of section 5(1)(b) of the Constitution of Nigeria,1999, the Executive powers of the Federation extends to the execution and maintanance of the Constitution which is the grundnorm and all laws made by the National Assembly, including the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, which SERAP is requesting the Respondent to effectively implement.”

“Under Section 61(2) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act, a law of general application throughout the country, public officers accused of bribery may be prosecuted by the appropriate authority for such an offence.”

“Although primarily a matter of concern for Kano State, the allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje have assumed such a proportion as to become a matter of concern to the federation as a whole, and therefore, to the government of the Respondent.”

“Vigorously seeking to enforce anticorruption legislation and the United Nations Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party regarding alleged corrupt state governors, will show that the Respondent is concerned with the overall well-being of the federation and willing and able to enforce important constitutional principles.”

“Given the history of corruption in Nigeria, especially unresolved allegations of grand corruption against many state governors, the government of the Respondent cannot and should not look the other way regarding the allegations against Mr Ganduje. Any allegations of bribery and abuse of power in any state of Nigeria is of concern to every Nigerian, and should therefore, be of concern to the government of the Respondent.”

“It is important to reiterate that a sitting governor can be investigated under Nigerian laws. Any criminal allegation against a sitting governor can and should be investigated pending the time the governor leaves office and loses immunity.”

“SERAP has sufficient legal interest in monitoring the way and manner public funds are being utilized in Nigeria, hence our request for the Respondent to perform his public duty.”

“The Respondent has failed, neglected and refused to instruct the Attorney General of the Federation and/or anti-corruption agencies to investigate Mr Ganduje over the alleged bribery. Given his anticorruption commitments, the Respondent ought to have acted on SERAP’s requests to improve transparency and accountability among state governors.”

“As the Supreme Court of Nigeria stated in Ugwu v. Ararume (2007) 31 WRN 1 at 42: ‘If we want to instill sanity into our human affairs, if we want to entrench unpolluted democracy in our body polity, the naked truth must permeate through the blood, nerve and brain of each and every one of us. Although credit may not always have its rightful place in politics, we should try to blend the two so as to attain a fair, just and egalitarian society where no one is oppressed. Let us call a spade a spade!”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

http://serap-nigeria.org/serap-asks-court-to-compel-buhari-to-investigate-ganduje-over-alleged-bribery.ngo/

Yes now!
Gandolla need to go to jail!

exercise in futility...


oshio that left office months ago has not been proved, is it gandollar that has promised 5m votes that would be investigated...


PMB is a harborer of crooks as long as you are in his good graces...

magu is just a figure head who does the bidding of his deceptive masters...

This fraud of integrity called Buhari should know that by not investigating Ganduje means he himself is corrupt. Not only that he is also setting a dangerous precedent for other political office holders that you are free to embezzle government funds, collect bribes and kick backs, inflate contracts, pad budgets as long you support the APC government(Akpabio comes to mind).

, let it be known that President Buhari is nothing short of a sore hypocrite if he doesn't investigate Gandollars. After ya'll be screaming Atiku is a thief. Ganduje is right in front of you with all the video evidence yet ya'll be acting like nothing happened. Shameless lot

Frustrated biafra dogs should keep barking.
Sai baba knows what he is doing.
If he says Kano governor is innocent then he is!
It's obvious those videos are fake and only a fool would believe them.
Sai for 2023 and beyond!

Yahoo oo. Yahoo oo. Yahoo oo, yahooze.

Very true...... Investigate but not arrest...... But he is also carrying the broom......

When his time is up, arrest him......

But we know EFCC is a tormentor to the opposition only....

.

Who are this illiterates abeg

Dem no born the anti corruption agency to investigate ganduje when he has promised Buhari at least 5million votes. Buhari is a scammer. It is very obvious. His anti corruption crusade is a charade. I made a mistake voting for him. His promises are false. He can't even defend the state against the few cabals in his government. A vote for Buhari is another vote for the cabals ruling Nigeria. Ask his wife

He has immunity na. Lets wait till the end of his tenure. Am sure nothing would happen sha. PMB needs his 5M votes

Is buhari incharge of investigation now??

Jubril will rather freeze Obi's bank account

He's a saint!

ednut1:
He has immunity na. Lets wait till the end of his tenure. Am sure nothing would happen sha. PMB needs his 5M votes

He can be INVESTIGATED BUT CANNOT BE PROSECUTED because of the immunity clause.
Nothing stops his accounts from been frozen while under investigation!

Leave oga Danguje alone till he leaves the office.... we are after 2019, planning how to retire some ppl, and if Igbos want to protest result, we will match them protest for protest, pound for pound, until everybody goes back home and accept the result... 2019 is non negotiable

Happy Christmas and Buhariless NewYear !

That is Nigerian politicians for you.

Good idea.

Let's see how this ends

AceRoyal:

He can be INVESTIGATED BUT CANNOT BE PROSECUTED because of the immunity clause.
Nothing stops his accounts from been frozen while under investigation!

And the last time they tried freezing accounts, the courts reversed that decision

Have they forgotten he's on immunity
He can only be investigated but not tried in a court of law at least for now

The painful thing is that the thief is even standing for re-election..

Its an insult to Kano people.

Even if Jubril does what will come out of it if the two men governing us decides otherwise?

By asking him to investigate Gandollar, you are shaking a table of the delusional 20 million Kano vote.

I laugh in swahili



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Magalan:
The painful thing is that the thief is even standing for re-election..

Its an insult to Kano people.

It is up to Kano people to remove him

Bloooody:
Frustrated biafra dogs should keep barking.
Sai baba knows what he is doing.
If he says Kano governor is innocent then he is!
It's obvious those videos are fake and only a fool would believe them.
Sai for 2023 and beyond!

Speak the truth and be set free regardless, in all its all about two Fulani in contest. .may everyone who support evil over sentiments reap evil for d rest of his life and his generation. Say Amen if u know ur conscience is right.APC is not fighting corruption but victimizing

Compel someone that said Abacha did not steal yet spending Abacha returned loot! We owe ourselves and future generations the duty to kick out this man of disintegrity!