Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Governor-elect of Kano State, has expressed concerns over an alleged scheme by the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to use thugs to incite violence and obstruct Saturday’s supplementary elections in various parts of the state.
Yusuf raised the alarm in a public advisory released on Friday by his chief press secretary, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.
He noted that he was in possession of reliable information that the government had ordered the release of public funds to finance political thugs to inflict violence on innocent citizens and residents of Kano State during the elections.
“We wish to issue another public advisory on the purported use of public funds to finance the supplementary elections, holding Saturday 15th April, 2023.
“We are in possession of credible information that Kano State Government under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed the release of N61 million to Doguwa, over N60 million to Nasarawa, over N60 million to Wudil. Other local government councils are also listed to receive hundreds of millions of Naira to fund elections.
“The money was released solely for sponsoring political thugs to unleash violence on the innocent citizens and residents of Kano State during the supplementary elections.
“We wish to again caution all the local government chairmen and their management staff including Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs), Treasurers and other employees at the state and local government levels who may be directly or indirectly involved in this heinous act to as a matter of responsibility distance themselves and ensure that all public funds already released are not used for such purposes and returned to the appropriate coffers.
“While appreciating the good samaritan who came forward to confide in us some of the evil plans to be meted against the good people of Kano ahead of the forthcoming supplementary elections, it is very pertinent to bring to the attention of all employees in the state that anybody found wanting on this scandal will face the necessary action at the most appropriate time.
“We are aware, that the state government has brought in thousands of thugs from within and outside Kano State to destabilise the relative peace. It is, therefore, necessary to call on the security agencies to take swift action against the potential repeat of violent thuggery attacks on innocent citizens of Kano state.
“This advisory is served in the public interest, please,” the Governor-elect, Yusuf however stated.
During an earlier press conference, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State told Yusuf that he was still in charge.
Speaking through the commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, Ganduje asked Yusuf to desist from making official pronouncements in order to avoid confusion.
He said, “The action of the governor-elect amounts to jumping the gun by issuing directive on a matter affecting government laid down policy while the incumbent is yet to run his full term.”
