Connect with us

NEWS

Gan$ Video: Kano Gov Urges EFCC To Release Report

Published

on

Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State

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.”

NEWS

‘Tinubu’s Gov’t Is Held Hostage by Fraudsters’ – Atiku Declares

Published

on

Be Prepared To Accept Defeat, Atiku Tells Tinubu

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of being “held hostage by fraudsters” following the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Presidency’s response to the scandal exposed what he described as a deep institutional crisis within the Federal Government.

ALSO READ: Atiku Appoints Kenneth Okonkwo as 2027 Campaign Spokesperson

According to him, the government’s explanation that a private individual allegedly forged presidential documents, impersonated senior government officials, established an office inside the Federal Secretariat, opened bank accounts using government identities, and engaged foreign diplomats without insider support is difficult to believe.

He argued that rather than clearing the air, the Presidency’s defence had raised even more questions about the integrity of government institutions.

Atiku also questioned reports that about ₦1.3 billion was appropriated for the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite claims by the Presidency that the agency never officially existed.

The former vice president challenged the government to explain how an allegedly non-existent agency found its way into the national budget, asking which ministries, officials, National Assembly committees, and lawmakers processed and approved the allocation before it was signed into law.

He further criticised the National Assembly for failing to detect the alleged anomaly during the budget process and questioned the role of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing anti-graft agencies of selective enforcement.

Atiku maintained that regardless of whether the incident was the work of a sophisticated fraud syndicate or the result of institutional failure, the government must accept responsibility for allowing such a situation to occur.

While acknowledging that the individual at the centre of the controversy may face prosecution, he insisted that the Presidency must also account for the institutional lapses that allegedly enabled the activities.

Calling for an independent investigation, Atiku urged authorities to follow the evidence without political interference, insisting that no individual or institution should be shielded from scrutiny.

He added that the alleged fake agency saga has become another test of accountability and transparency in the Tinubu administration, urging Nigerians to demand answers from those entrusted with managing public institutions.

Continue Reading

NEWS

No More Khaki! FG Unveils Adire as New NYSC Uniform

Published

on

Gombe NYSC Prioritises Safety of Corps Members

The Federal Government has announced that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will replace its iconic khaki uniform with locally produced Adire fabric as part of a sweeping reform aimed at repositioning the scheme and promoting indigenous industries.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the development during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday.

According to the minister, the adoption of Adire is intended to strengthen Nigeria’s textile industry by ensuring government spending supports local manufacturers.

ALSO READ: FG Approves Biggest NYSC Overhaul in 53 Years, Introduces Civilian Leadership, New Uniform

“It’s Adire. Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have the textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” Olawande said.

The minister also revealed that the ongoing restructuring of the NYSC would see corps members posted based on their academic qualifications and professional backgrounds.

Under the new arrangement, graduates with education-related qualifications will be deployed to schools, while others will be assigned to sectors that align with their areas of study to improve productivity and national development.

Addressing security concerns, Olawande said the Federal Government is considering posting prospective corps members to regions where they studied or are familiar with, particularly in areas facing security challenges.

He noted that the move would reduce concerns among parents and corps members while making deployments more practical.

He further dismissed reports suggesting the military would be removed from the NYSC, describing such claims as a misconception.

According to him, while the scheme’s operational leadership will become civilian-led, the military will continue to play a key role in providing security and supporting the orientation programme.

The reforms follow the Federal Executive Council’s approval of a comprehensive overhaul of the 53-year-old NYSC scheme.

As part of the process, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development have been directed to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to facilitate the implementation of the reforms.

The Federal Government said the changes are designed to transform the NYSC into a skills-oriented, productivity-driven and youth empowerment institution that supports its vision of building a $1 trillion economy.

Continue Reading

NEWS

Nigeria Lands Fresh $1.25bn World Bank Loan to Drive Jobs, Reforms

Published

on

World Bank deploys $114.9 to finance global crises in 2022

Nigeria has secured a fresh $1.25 billion financing package from the World Bank to support ongoing economic reforms, boost private sector investment and create more jobs across the country.

The funding was approved under the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (NAIJA) programme and forms part of the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Nigeria, which will run from 2026 to 2032.

ALSO READ: Dangote Champions Infrastructure, Job Creation as Catalysts for Africa’s Economic Growth at IMF/World Bank Meetings

According to the World Bank, the financing is designed to help Nigeria remove barriers to private investment, improve the business environment and lay the foundation for faster, more inclusive economic growth.

The programme will support reforms across critical sectors, including the capital market, digital economy, power sector, agriculture, trade liberalisation under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as domestic revenue mobilisation.

The global financial institution said the initiative is expected to expand electricity access to about 32 million Nigerians, provide broadband connectivity for 58 million people, improve health and nutrition services for 40 million citizens, and support approximately 9.5 million farmers.

The World Bank added that its six-year Country Partnership Framework is focused on mobilising private capital, strengthening economic resilience and creating productive jobs while supporting investments in infrastructure, digital connectivity, human capital and agricultural productivity.

Speaking on the approval, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, said the framework builds on Nigeria’s recent macroeconomic reforms, which have contributed to stronger economic growth, improved public revenues and renewed investor confidence.

He stressed that sustaining the reform agenda would be crucial to unlocking the country’s full economic potential and creating more opportunities for millions of Nigerians.

The latest financing package is expected to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to accelerate economic reforms, attract investment and promote long-term, private sector-led growth.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2022. Biztellers, powered by Alphaxristi.

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x