Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has given a nod to the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission to go on with the probe of deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The governor made this known at the media interactive session held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, Monday.
Recall that the state’s anti-graft agency was investigating the deposed emir over alleged N2.2 billion on land belonging to the Kano emirate.
However, the process of probing the emir was slowed down after Kano Elders Forum filed a lawsuit to challenge the investigation.
But, in response to a question from a journalist, Ganduje stated that the deposed monarch had case to answer and would be prosecuted if found wanting.
The governor also stated that the anti – corruption commission would now have a hitch-free legal exercise as there was no pending case before a court to challenge the emir’s probe.
He noted that his administration intended to split the emirate into five as a reform to bring even development across the state.
“When we wanted to bring on board, reform to our traditional institution, the former Emir did not cooperate with the process of reform. The process was truncated, so the only option for him was to find his way out. And that was what happened,” he said.
“That time there was this so-called Kano Elders Forum, that tried to also frustrate the reform process. Their case was squashed by another court of competent jurisdiction.”
“In the absence of all legal issues, the probe will continue. When he took them to court to stop the Agency from probing him, the case was quashed. So they will continue probing him according to the set down law.
“The reform of the traditional institution has the sole aim of trickling down development to other parts of the state, particularly the communities that house the new Emirates, that they were created,” he said.
Ganduje also announced that the state government will soon review the 2020 budget by 30 percent cut in order to complete ongoing projects.
According to him, the decline in Internally Generated Revenue occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to be prudent on the government’s expenditure in order to achieve the completion of the projects before the end of his second tenure.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of financial challenges. We are hopeful of completing our projects before the end of our tenure.
“The decline of IGR has made us become prudent on our expenditure. We have to be smart in the way we spend money because we want to complete our projects, that is why we are soon taking our 2020 budget to the House of Assembly for review.
“We are working to review the budget by 30% cut because we want to achieve our aim of project completion,” he said.
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