The Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhassan Rirum, has explained why the state assembly resolved to investigate the Kano Emirate council, despite a similar probe by the State’s anti-corruption agency.
Rirum said the House investigation was not in any way connected to the one already being carried out by the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission but was as a result of a motion raised by a member of the Assembly, Ibrahim Gama.
Gama, the representative for Nassarawa state constituency, had on Wednesday raised eight allegations against the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, urging the house to quickly carry out an investigation.
The allegations include defamation of character, breach of oath of office/oath of allegiance, abuse of office privileges and protocol, and political and religious interference.
Others are alleged unguided utterances, misappropriation of public funds, misrepresentation at public gatherings and undue criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari/APC-led government.
The motion was seconded by the lawmaker representing Kano Municipal constituency, Babba Dan’Agundi, and unanimously adopted by the House, after which a seven-man committee was set up to carry out the investigation.
Members of the investigative committee include, Abdul Madari, as chairman, Babba Dan’Agundi; Kabiru Dachi; Sani Maidaji; Abba Garko; and two officials from the legal department of the Assembly.
Also, online newspaper, Premium Times, reports that the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission has summoned a top member of the Kano Emirate Council, Abdullahi Ibrahim, in continuation of its investigations into the financial activities of the traditional institution.
An anonymous source quoted by the newspaper said Ibrahim was asked to appear before the commission on Thursday alongside two other palace officials.
The commission is investigating alleged misappropriations of funds by the emirate council to the tune of about N6 billion since Sanusi became emir in 2014.
But the officer in charge of finances in the Emirate council, Mahe Bashir Wali, had come out to deny the allegations, stressing that “N1,893,378,927.38 was the exact amount inherited by Emir Muhammadu Sunusi II” from the late Emir Ado Bayero, and not the alleged N6 billion.
“Before the appointment of Muhammadu Sunusi II, the Council has the sum of N2,875,163,431.17 in fixed accounts in various banks, out of which N981,784,503.79 was withdrawn and used during the late Emir Ado Bayero on February 7, 2014 for the payment of his Royal City Project, leaving behind a balance of N1,893,378,927.38 in the various banks,” Wali stated.