NEWS
Gan$ Video: Kano Gov Urges EFCC To Release Report
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been urged to make public the result of its probe into the alleged dollar bribery video involving immediate-past governor of Kano Sate, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, made the call for action against the Acting Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a statement on Sunday through his spokesperson, Sanusi Tofa.
According to Yusuf, Ganduje ought to be ashamed of himself and ready to explain his action to the law, as against running his mouth on non-existent failure in the current administration.
It stated, “For whatever option, the Kano State Government would advise the acting National Chairman of APC to show cause why his name, that of his family, and the entire people of Kano should permanently be erased from the global embarrassment that the dollar video has generated.
“The administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf emphasised that it would leave no stone unturned to pursue the dollar video scandal to a logical conclusion.
“He, however, requested the release of the forensic investigation conducted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission on ‘Gandollar saga’ in 2018, for public consumption.”
Recall that the two politicians have been at daggers drawn which saw Yusuf last week set up two panels to probe Ganduje’s eight-year administration.
In addition, Yusuf’s government also filed criminal charges against Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat, son, Umar, and five others.
However, Ganduje’s stance on the development was that his successor was chasing shadows.
He described the move against him as a diversionary tactic to cover “weak governance” in Kano.
On his part, Yusuf, going by the Sunday statement, insisted that “Ganduje presided over two unproductive tenures characterised with siphoning public resources, inability to cater for the needs of Kano’s population, nepotism and bloodshed that left many families in the mood of melancholy.
“Our eight months in office have remarkably outweighed Ganduje’s eight wasted years of political caricature and maladministration by all standards,” it averred.
The incumbent governor of Kano State would rather that his predecessor put his acts together to defend his battered image at the court, instead of further exposing his impunity on the media space.
“No amount of media campaign would hinder the process of bringing Ganduje to book on the glaring cases of corruption filed against him,” he said.
Yusuf said he was surprised “that Ganduje could yet muster the courage to defend himself in the media, despite the embarrassing video clip where you were caught, red-handed, stocking his large agbada pockets with dollars, a supposed kickback from a contractor; and other corrupt practices massively associated with your eight-year tenure during which you ran the affairs of Kano state as a family enterprise.
“We wish to reaffirm the present administration’s resolve and readiness to make Ganduje and his co-travellers face the full wrath of the law for their intentional wrong doings.”
The statement further recalled that Ganduje also claimed that Kano Anti-corruption Agency’s latest plan to probe him on the dollar video and cases of money laundering was an act of disregard for the rule of law, citing the judgment of Justice A.M. Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, which declared that only Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as well as, the EFCC, have the constitutional powers to investigate him; but described such claims as frivilous and the cry of a dying dog.
On the allegations of poor governance in Kano despite the increase in federal allocation, Yusuf claimed that his administration was still struggling to recover from a state of bankruptcy Ganduje allegedly plunged the state in the last eight years.
“We wish to warn Ganduje to stop dragging the name of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into his corruption saga, as we believe that our able and well respected President does not interfere in cases before the courts of competent jurisdiction, as we witnessed during our trying times at the Supreme Court when he allowed justice to prevail for the opposition parties.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2025, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The two-day summit, scheduled for January 27-28, 2025, is aimed at advancing “Mission 300,” a pan-African initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
Hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, the summit will bring together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations.
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The goal is to develop strategies for accelerating energy access in underserved regions, increasing renewable energy adoption, and mobilizing private sector investment.
According to a statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, the summit will serve as a platform for sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources to address Africa’s energy challenges.
The first day of the summit will feature ministerial-level discussions, during which participating nations, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies, or “compacts,” detailing their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
On the second day, African Heads of State will sign the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a unified roadmap for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to universal energy access and its leadership role in the continent’s energy sector.
He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and integrated energy delivery strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa.
Accompanying the president will be key government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen.
President Tinubu is set to return to Abuja immediately after the summit concludes.
The menace of illegal migration is getting diplomatic attention from the Italian authorities and the Edo State Government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua divulged this in a government house statement issued in Benin City on Saturday.
He explained that the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edesili Anani had expressed the readiness of the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration to tackle the menace of irregular migration among youths in the state.
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It was gathered that Anani made the stance public on Friday in Government House, Benin City, when Dr. Alberto Cilala, a consultant to the European Union and President of Mattei Africa for Humanitarian Aids Initiative in Italy, led a delegation to her office.
Welcoming the delegation, she highlighted the importance of collaboration to address the challenges posed by irregular migration.
The Coordinator expressed her gratitude to the delegation, and emphasized the transformative impact the partnership will bring to Edo State.
In her words, “This initiative will reduce unemployment, create job opportunities, and address human trafficking and irregular migration. It will also enhance education, skills acquisition, agricultural investment, and infrastructural development for our people.”
On his part, Dr. Cilala emphasized that the Mattei Plan would provide valuable skills to Edo State residents, including tailoring, furniture-making, shoemaking, and more.
“The Mattei Plan was launched by the Italian Government with a focus on six key sectors: education and training, health, security, agriculture, and renewable energy. The goal is to promote integrated development and improve living conditions, particularly in rural areas.
“These projects will be fully funded by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Labour,” he stated.
Former Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State Government on Anti-Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, said the Mattei Plan prioritizes practical measures to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking.
“Although nine African countries are involved in this initiative, Edo State is a crucial partner for Italy. This partnership will strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.
Brand Ambassador of the Mattei Plan, Olorogun John Paul, popularly known as Daddy Showkey was at the event and lauded the initiative.
He noted, “This program provides an opportunity for Edo State beneficiaries to gain training in various skills, equipping them for sustainable livelihoods.”
Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday morning stormed the Speaker’s Lodge located at 47 Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The supporters, dressed in pro-Obasa vests and caps, arrived in large numbers at the premises.
According to multiple sources, the group was planning a “heroic welcome” for the former Speaker, who was recently removed from office by a majority of lawmakers in the House.
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Obasa, who was out of the country at the time of his impeachment, was replaced by the former deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Since her emergence as Speaker, Meranda has presided over two sittings, with Obasa absent from both.
The choice of the Speaker’s Lodge as the location for Obasa’s supposed welcome sparked controversy, as he is no longer officially entitled to the property following his removal.
A resident in the area expressed surprise over the situation, saying, “I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them.”
Armed security personnel, including police officers, were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent any potential disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasa had yet to arrive at the lodge.
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