Ganduje clears air on viral video where he was filmed receiving dollars from suspected contractors
A viral video has been published appearing to show Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State pocketing a vast wards of American dollars in what was said to be bribe payments from public works contractors.
The Kano State governor could be seen collecting the dollars before rolling them into his white dress, “babanriga,” in one of a series of questionable deals allegedly struck some few months ago.
The first set of at least 15 clips in possession of online-based Daily Nigerian was published on Sunday afternoon by the platform.
The two minutes video was recorded in 2017 in what Daily Nigerian described as a sting operation aimed at beaming a spotlight on the governor’s alleged penchant for contract racketeering.
The governor has debunked the video as “cloned” and threatened a sweeping lawsuit against its publisher.
In the only video published so far, the governor appeared to have received $230,000. All the cash was hastily stashed in his “babanriga,” a native attire common amongst men of northern Nigerian origin.
Daily Nigerian said the $230,000 was part of a series of cash advancement to the governor in a total bribery deal of $5 million.
The published version was uploaded without audio, apparently to conceal the identify of the contractors from the public.
While Ganduje would readily know those with whom he carried out the exposed deal, the contractors believed their safety would be better guaranteed if their personal identities that could otherwise be obtained from their voices in the video are stripped off.
“I think you should collect this money before anyone walks in,” one of the contractors could be heard telling the governor. “I think you should put it on your body to conceal it with your babanriga.”
A brief laughter then erupted amongst them. The video was reportedly shot in one of the living rooms at the governor’s official residence in Kano, the state capital.
“MD will soon be back from Istanbul on Friday evening to give us the other allocations,” the contractor added after telling the governor he had concealed a total of $230,000 in his babanriga for the day’s transaction.
The governor and the contractors also discussed carrying state lawmakers along in the deal, especially on how cash and stalls would be shared to them in the deal for the construction of a market.
The governor is said to have received up to N750 million (about 25 percent) in a deal of over N3 billion with a single contractor.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has officially reacted to the video dismissing it as cloned and threatening to sue the medium.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba said the publication dwelt a doctored video “with no material facts or evidence to prove the allegations, other than a callous attempt to tarnish the hard-earned image of the office and the person of the governor.”
The statement added that “the governor wishes to once again emphatically debunk the allegation of receiving gratification of $5million or any amount whatsoever from any person or body.”
The statement alleged that the fellow making the allegation “is a serial blackmailer and extorter.
“We are also aware that the hidden motive is to reduce the popularity of the governor and consequently affect the anticipated quantum of APC votes from Kano in the 2019 general election.
“While the state government is taking the legal action, we wish to assure the good people of Kano that His Excellency will remain focused and continue with laudable programmes that will add value to the lives of the people of Kano State.
“We also call on the general public, especially members of the APC to remain calm and always be law abiding.” ano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has filed a defamation suit against online medium Daily Nigerian for portraying him in an inappropriate conduct.
