Buhari breaks his silence on Ganduje saying security agencies are investigating bribery video

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that security agencies were vetting the video in which Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje was seen receiving bribes from a contractor and  action would be taken on the matter soon.

Last month, the Kano State House of Assembly set up a seven-man ad hoc committee to investigate the authenticity of a video clip in which Governor Ganduje was seen receiving the bribe. Over the last month, the video, originally published by online media platform Daily Nigerian, shows the governor receiving wads of dollars from a man said to be a contractor and stuffing them into his clothing.

So far, President Buhari has not reacted to the allegations but he is under increasing pressure to distance himself from Governor Ganduje if the government's anti-corruption stance is to be taken seriously. Addressing a gathering of Nigerians in France at a town hall meeting, President Buhari responded to a question about the matter, saying that the issue is under investigation.

President Buhari said: “We gave the videos to security agencies for vetting. We will surely take action on the matter if he is found guilty.”

Organised after President Buhari attended a summit of world leaders to mark Armistice Day, the Paris town hall meeting, held at Shangrilla Hotel, was attended by Nigerian students studying in France, the diaspora community in and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the country. President Buhari was accompanied by Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi, Anambra State governor Willie Obiano, the Nigerian ambassador to France Modupe Irele, foreign minister Geoffrey Onyeama, attorney-general Abubakar Malami and national security adviser Babagana Monguno.

Meanwhile, a Kano high court has upheld its earlier order halting the state house of assembly's investigative committee from probing the bribery allegations against Governor Ganduje. In addition, the court also ordered all other parties involved in the investigation of the bribery allegation to maintain status quo ante, pending the determination of the originating summon.

An originating summon was filed by Mohammed Zubair, the national coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, had been filed to halt the proceedings. His lawyer, Kalid Abdullatif, argued that the act of the defendants to have constituted a committee to investigate the bribery allegation against Governor Ganduje remains unconstitutional.

In his ruling, the presiding Judge, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, ordered all the parties involved in the case to maintain the status quo ante, pending the determination of the originating summon. He commended counsel to the defendants for advising his clients wisely and adjourned the case to November 21 for hearing of the originating motion on summon.