News
Ganduje Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty In A Law Court, Says Buhari
“Dr. Ganduje, as a sitting Governor, enjoys immunity from prosecution in his own right. Furthermore, under Nigerian laws, a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” the statement read.
by SaharaReporters, New York Jan 31, 2019
President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to claims that he is shielding Abdullahi Ganduje, Governor of Kano State, from prosecution.
Ganduje was caught on camera pocketing wads of dollars, which appeared to be kickbacks from a contractor.
Although the Governor has claimed the videos were doctored, Jafar Jafar, publisher of Daily Nigerian, who shared the videos in public domain, insisted the videos were real.
Jafar was invited to face an investigative panel set up by the Kano State House of Assembly, but no major action has been taken against the Governor on the matter.
Similarly, when he appeared on ‘The Candidates’, a presidential town hall programme for politicians broadcast on live television, Buhari expressed doubt about the authenticity of the videos but stated that the law would take its course.
However, on Thursday, the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) berthed in Kano and Buhari was welcomed to the state by Ganduje, as well as thousands of party faithful. Buhari also endorsed Ganduje for reelection as governor of the state.
Responding to the reports that the corruption allegation levelled against Ganduje had watered down the President’s claim that he is fighting corruption impartially, a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), issued on Thursday, restated Buhari’s commitment to the fight against corruption.
The statement read: “President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed claims that his association with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano has diminished his commitment to the war against corruption.
“The Presidency in a statement Thursday said that there is a difference between perception and reality. According to the statement, which followed comments after the proclamation by President Buhari of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, at a rally in Kano, the presidency cited a number of high-profile prosecution of senior government officials that a former Secretary to the Government and a former state governor who is a party member and now serving term in jail as indications of will and determination to wage the anti-corruption war without fear or favour.
“It also added that the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, is currently on administrative leave as part of President Buhari’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“The statement explained that despite some of the suspects being close to the President, he had not shielded them from investigation, administrative suspensions and prosecution.
“The Presidency added that it is sheer mischief to suggest that President Buhari is shielding anybody because of their closeness to him, explaining that no official under this administration would go unpunished once they break the law.”
On the allegations of corruption against the Governor, the statement added: “On the specific issue of Governor Ganduje of Kano State, the statement noted that Dr. Ganduje, as a sitting Governor, enjoys immunity from prosecution in his own right. Furthermore, under Nigerian laws, a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
“In the circumstances, the matter is in court and the President has no power to dictate to the court or the Kano State House of Assembly, which is already investigating the matter, about what to do with the allegations against Ganduje.
“The Presidency added that it is unfair to ignore the larger picture of the President’s major successes in the war against corruption, including blocking leakages of corruption, which in turn, boosted government revenues.
“The statement challenged President Buhari’s critics to prove that those facing corruption allegations are innocent, adding that the President’s zero tolerance for corruption has boosted and remarkably improved Nigeria’s image in the eyes of world leaders.”
The headquarters of Heritage Bank at Victoria Island, Lagos, was besieged on Thursday by members of the labour union, protesting the recent dismissal of 1,000 support workers.
The National President of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, Comrade Anthony Abakpa, led the demonstration, condemning the bank’s management for what he deemed a lack of adherence to due process in the termination of employment contracts.
Speaking during the protest, Comrade Abakpa asserted that the leadership of Heritage Bank failed to follow established protocols before executing the mass layoffs.
He emphasised the union’s commitment to pursuing justice for the affected workers, vowing to escalate their demands until the bank’s management rectifies the situation.
“We will intensify our demands for justice,” declared Comrade Abakpa, urging the bank’s management to take corrective action to address the grievances of the dismissed workers.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, clarified that Nigeria is not utilising its foreign reserves to bolster the naira, despite recent fluctuations in reserve levels.
Speaking from Washington DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings, Cardoso highlighted the influx of $600 million into Nigeria’s reserves account within the past two days.
While the naira has experienced a notable appreciation against the dollar in recent weeks, climbing over 40% from approximately N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1, Nigeria’s foreign reserves have been dwindling. As of April 15, reserves dropped to approximately $32.29 billion, marking the lowest level in over six years.
Cardoso emphasised that the shifts in reserves are typical for any country, where various financial obligations, such as debt repayments, necessitate withdrawals.
He stated, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where, for example, debts are due and certain payments need to be made. They are made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.”
Continuing, Cardoso underscored the dynamic nature of the market, advocating for a system driven by willing buyers, willing sellers, and price discovery.
He emphasised, “The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending the naira, and that is certainly not our objective.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has made headlines by announcing a further reduction in the price of diesel, dropping it from ₦1200 to ₦1000 naira per litre.
The refinery’s decision comes on the heels of its recent supply at a significantly reduced price of ₦1200 per litre, which was introduced three weeks ago, signifying a remarkable 30 per cent decrease from the previous market price of approximately ₦1600 per litre.
This substantial reduction in diesel prices at Dangote Petroleum Refinery is expected to reiterate positively throughout various sectors of the economy, potentially serving as a catalyst in alleviating the persistently high inflation rate in the country.
In a statement last week, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and the owner of the refinery, expressed his optimism regarding the potential impact of the price reduction on inflation in Nigeria.
“I believe that we are on the right track. I believe Nigerians have been patient, and I also believe that a lot of goodies will now come through. There’s quite a lot of improvement because if you look at it, one of the major issues that we’ve had was the naira devaluation that has gone very aggressively up to about ₦1900,” he remarked.
As anticipation builds around the implications of this move by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, stakeholders and consumers alike remain hopeful for the positive effects it could bring to the Nigerian economy in the coming months.
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