$5m bribery: Kano Assembly investigative committee to appear before court
Hon. Baffa Babba Dan Agundi, chairman of Kano state House of Assembly Investigative Committee on the alleged bribery allegation by Mr. Jaafar Jaafar, publisher of an online news platform, Daily Nigerian, against Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Tuesday said himself and the Committee members will appear before a Kano High Court on Monday, November 12, in respect to a suit filed against them.
The Nation reports that a pro-democracy group, Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, had last Monday dragged the Committee and the state Attorney-General to Court, praying that they stop the investigation of the bribery allegation.
Addressing Reporters at the Assembly Complex, Dan Agundi said: “We are here today to give the position of the Kano state House of Assembly and the Committee investigating alleged bribery taking by His Excellency, the Governor of Kano state.
“One, we have received a Court process filed by some lawyers who named themselves Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria.
“Secondly, we are going to put in our appearance before the Court on Monday to respect the Rule of Law, to respect the Kano state High Court of Justice and particularly, the Court that gave this Order to Kano state House of Assembly.
“It is important to note that the Court did not stop the Committee from doing its work, the Court only pronounced that the status quo be maintained.
“You can translate it to your own understanding, there is no Order that specifically said ‘stop work.’ So, I think the Committee can continue with its work and we are putting our appearance by Monday I said earlier.
“It is also important to understand that the Constitution is very clear. Section 128 and 129 empowers Kano state House of Assembly to embark on any kind of investigation that it deems appropriate when something like this arises.
“So, I think we are working within the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we are working within the rules of Kano state House of Assembly.
“So, we will respect the Court by putting our appearance on Monday and the Committee will continue with its work.”
It could be recalled that a Kano High Court sitting in Kano ordered the Kano state House of Assembly to stop the investigation of bribery allegation levelled against Governor Ganduje.
In Suit No. K/497/2018 instituted by Bar. Muhammad Zubair, National Coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria against the Kano state House of Assembly, Hon. Baffa Babba Dab Agundi and other members of the seven-man Investigative Committee and Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Kano state, the presiding Judge, Justice A.T. Badamasi issued an Interim Injunction, restraining the Kano state House of Assembly Seven-man Investigative Committee from further investigation of the said bribery allegation.
According to the Judge, “upon carefully run through the Ex-parte application dated 5th day of November, 2018 filed by Counsel for the plaintiff/applicant accompanied by a 23 paragraphs affidavit duly deposed to by Muhammad Zubair, a legal practitioner as well as the written address in support of Application thereto:
“And after hearing Mr. Nuraini Jimoh Esq. (with him A.N.Ahmad Esq) Counsel for the applicant. The application is hereby granted in the following manner:
“The Respondents should be served before the close of work today (5 November). Accelerated hearing is hereby ordered and the respondents are given four days to respond to this application after service.
“Parties should maintain status quo ante pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice.”
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