Investigation demanded into Kwankwaso tenure as Kano Gov by CSOs

A coalition comprising Forty-five Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) operating under the umbrella of Justice for All (JA) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to initiate an investigation into the eight-year tenure of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

The group highlighted that the previous administration in Kano state, led by Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, neglected to probe the activities of the Kwankwaso government, and the current administration has shown no intention of doing so.

The CSOs emphasized the importance of this investigation in recovering state resources for the benefit of the citizens.

In a formal petition addressed to the anti-graft agency and signed by Auwalu Ibrahim and Dr. Dave Ogbole as chairman and co-chairman respectively, the group stressed the urgency of the investigation to address the gaps in probing corruption cases from previous administrations, especially during the transition from Kwankwaso’s tenure to the present government.

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The CSOs specifically called for the EFCC to focus on scrutinizing the management of local government funds during Kwankwaso’s leadership, the utilization of internally generated revenue, and the allocation of funds from the Federation’s Account.

They expressed concerns about the lack of tangible development projects corresponding to the substantial federal allocations received by the 44 Local Government Areas in 2015.

Moreover, the group raised suspicions about the alleged remittance of funds by council bosses to the governor based on his directives, without clear evidence of how these funds were utilized for the benefit of the state.

They also urged an investigation into the sale of Kano State Government assets, including identifying the buyers, verifying the assets’ valuation at the time of sale, confirming payments made by buyers, and tracing the utilization of proceeds from asset sales.

The CSOs emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in handling state resources, pointing out that the investigation request was prompted by the desire to uphold justice and ensure that public funds are utilized for the welfare of the people.