In response to the alleged N10 million bribe that was allegedly given to Justice Flora Azinge’s legal team, the All Progressives Congress has issued a warning to the Kano State government of the New Nigeria People’s Party not to disgrace her.
Malam Muhammad Garba, the Gawuna-Gari Campaign Council’s spokesman, said this in a statement on Thursday.
At the same time, the Kano State Government urged security services to thoroughly investigate the claim and bring to justice the “strong forces who are well-known for their corrupt attitude.”
According to the sources, Justice Azinge reported that several prominent attorneys were trying to bribe judges on her team.
Azinge expressed worry that this was the second occasion a judge had complained about how certain attorneys who were prosecuting election cases before her attempted to bribe her colleagues in an effort to influence the outcome of the case.
Money is “flying,” she said in the open court on Tuesday, adding that “it’s being rumored that a staff received N10 million.”
The Kano State government promptly issued a report claiming that “powerful forces widely recognized for their corrupt attitude are working feverishly to undermine the hard-earned mandate of the people of Kano State.”
The NNPP government further stated that it saw the occurrence as a litmus test for the current administration to make sure that the issue was adequately investigated and the offenders were prosecuted in the statement signed by State Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye.
When a respected Judge makes this kind of allegation in open court, “the anti-corruption agencies are equally expected to leap into action,” he stated.
Garba, who was Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje’s chief of staff and the recently-retired commissioner for information, responded by saying that the statement was an underhanded attempt to disparage the APC and the court.
He further claimed that there may have been a fear of the Kano government not receiving a favorable ruling that led to the purposeful attempt to discredit the tribunal chairman.
The Kano State Government tried to discredit the judge because it anticipated that the tribunal may identify the real bribe provider. The fabricated tale, which was featured in a statement released by the state commissioner for information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, further suggested that the government is attempting to demonize the tribunal before the ruling so that it will garner support from the uninformed people in the event it is unsuccessful.
The APC has never offered bribes to anyone engaged in the case and will never do so, considering that it has provided facts and evidence to support its case before the tribunal.
Garba went on to say that while the APC had submitted all of its witnesses during the tribunal’s sessions, the NNPP government had not done so in order to support its position.
He claimed that the Kano state government’s conduct was only a gimmick and an effort to discredit the APC.
The ruling party voiced confidence in eventually regaining its “stolen” mandate in Kano while reiterating its determination to diligently pursue legal remedy in the issue.
