Kano Expresses Dismay over Alleged Attempt to Bribe Election Petition Tribunal

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The Kano State Government has expressed dismay over an allegation made by the Chairman of Kano National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, that there was an attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal with money in order to sway justice in favour of his client.

A press statement that was signed by the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Baba Halilu Dantiye, said that the state government viewed the allegation with a great concern.

Dantiye alleged:   “There is a strong rumour going round that some strong forces within the APC whose eyes are on Kano Election Petition Tribunals are bent on repeating what they did in 2019. They are all out to use whatever means to sway justice as was done previously.

“It is an open secret that these strong forces who are well-known for their corrupt attitude are working tirelessly to scuttle the hard earned mandate of the people of Kano State. 

“No doubt, all eyes are looking at the direction of the former Kano State Governor, Mr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, whose accession to the APC national chairmanship was opposed by senior and founding members of the party and indeed majority of Nigerians because of various allegations of cases of corruption.”

“He certainly feels emboldened by what is generally perceived as his unfortunate and undemocratic selection as APC chairman who is rumoured to be all out to influence the outcome of various Election Petition Tribunals in Kano in particular and other states in general.”

Dantiye said that this allegation would be a litmus test for the present administration to show Nigerians that it is committed to fighting corruption and defending democratic principles by ensuring that this case is thoroughly investigated and the culprits prosecuted.

The statement called on the anti-corruption agencies to swing into action by carrying out a thorough investigation into the matter especially, when this type of allegation was made in an open court by a respected judge.

He, however, commended the action of the tribunal’s chairperson, Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, as a positive testimony that there is still hope in the Nigerian judiciary and there are judges and justices with high sense of integrity abound in our country.

He added that the state government has noted and appreciated the readiness of Kano people to defend their mandate through whatever means possible.