Bribery videos: Ganduje in big trouble as contractor set to testify before assembly panel
The contractor behind the videos showing the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, allegedly receiving bribes says he is ready to testify before the state House of Assembly panel investigating the matter.
The Cable reports that in a letter sent to the chairman of the investigative panel, through Saeed Twada, his lawyer, the contractor referred to as a ‘whistleblower’ said his allegations against Ganduje were “strictly personal” and that he would appreciate if the governor also appeared at the panel.
Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, had published videos showing Ganduje allegedly receiving kickbacks from contractors but the governor denied the allegations.
The Kano assembly subsequently set up a seven-man committee to investigate the allegations.
The unidentified contractor, however, said his appearance before the panel would be based on the fulfilment of some conditions listed in the letter.
One of the conditions is that the video clips would be submitted to two experts for forensic analysis. He said one of the experts must be a serving officer of the Department of State Services and the other an expatriate, while their bills would be paid by the state.
“That a Certified True Copy of the report(s) prepared by the experts shall be made available to our client prior to his appearance,” the letter read.
“That our client has undertaken to surrender to the experts the device used in capturing all the events in the video clips submitted and others yet to be submitted for discreet analysis and scrutiny.
“That all the proposed questions to be asked by the panel in the anticipated session shall not be more than 10 and shall be forwarded to our client in advance.
“That the sitting be restricted to limited persons and that our client should be allowed to wear a mask, bear a fictitious name and receive protection from authorities for himself, family and business.”
The contractor also demanded that the panel must also have in attendance the governor, Jaafar Jaafar, publisher of Daily Nigerian, and one Aminu Daurawa.
