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| Rabiu Kwankwaso |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has
launched an investigation into the campaign spending of Mr. Rabiu
Kwankwanso, former governor of Kano State, who vied for the presidential
ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.
An impeccable source in the commission told SaharaReporters that the
EFCC has found evidence that Kwankwaso diverted Kano State local
government funds into his presidential campaign. The source hinted that
Kwankwaso allegedly used his influence as governor to direct each of the
44 councils in the state contribute the sum of N70 million. Through
this, he raised over N3 billion for his failed presidential bid.
The money was sourced from the State and Local Government Joint
Account, an action that irked some state government officials, who
petitioned the EFCC after Kwankwaso left office in 2015.
The petitioners were said to have also supplied vital documents
on the alleged fund diversion to the EFCC, which prompted the commission
to begin investigation. The investigation began in 2015 and has seen
Mr. Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, former Secretary to the State Government, and
Mr. Danjuma Mahmud, former Accountant-General visit the commission
regularly.
SaharaReporters also learnt that both Bichi and Mahmud were detained at one point of the investigation, but were granted bail.
The incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, relieved Mahmud of his position because of the regularity of his visits to the EFCC, which he felt was distracting him.
The EFCC source added that recently, some local government chairmen
were detained and granted administrative bail by the EFCC in connection
with the campaign fund.
Billed to appear before the commission this week is the Chairman of
Fagge Local Government Area, Alhaji Habibu Saleh Mailemu. Next will be
Ungogo Local Chairman, Saleh Aliyu.
"I can tell you that we are investigating former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, based on a petition we have received. That is what I can say for now," said the source.
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