NGO SUES CJN OVER GANDUJE

A non-governmental organisation, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, has filed a suit to compel the Chief Justice of Nigeria to probe the bribery allegation against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State.

HEDA said it resorted to suing the CJN after a Kano State High Court halted Ganduje’s probe by the Kano State House of Assembly.

HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, said in a statement on Thursday that the group is seeking an order of mandamus against the CJN in relation to Ganduje’s probe.

He said the suit, which HEDA filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, had already been assigned to a judge, who had fixed March 21 for hearing.

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He said HEDA sought “an order granting leave to it to apply for a judicial review to seek an order directing the Chief Justice of Nigeria to investigate the allegations against Ganduje based on Section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Act 2000 (as amended).”

HEDA wants the court to compel the CJN to appoint an independent counsel to “investigate the grave allegations against the Kano State Governor.”

Suraju said HEDA decided to sue the CJN after a letter it wrote requesting Ganduje’s probe was ignored.

A journalist, Jafaar Jafaar, had last year released a series of video clips online, wherein Ganduje was allegedly shown taking American dollar bills from a contractor and stuffing same into the pocket of his clothes.

The Kano State House of Assembly had initiated a probe to ascertain the veracity of the video clips, but a Kano State High Court made an order, halting the probe.