The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) suspended the Chairman, Kano State Anti-corruption and Public Complaints Commission Muhuyi Magaji, on Thursday.
Mr Magaji’s suspension from office was contained in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by the spokesperson for the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Veronica Kato.
The CCB is prosecuting Mr Magaji at the CCT in Abuja on charges of breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
Ms Kato recalled Mr Magaji was arraigned on 10 counts before Danladi Umar-led CCT, with the defendant denying all the charges.
It was reported that the CCB arraigned Mr Magaji at the CCT on 17 November 2023 on charges of breach of the code of conduct for public officers including conflict of interest, abuse of office, false asset declaration, bribery, and accepting gifts, among others.
Specifically, according to Punch, the CCB alleged that Mr Magaji failed to declare some bank accounts bearing his name with a cumulative balance of N394 million.
The chairperson of the CCT, Mr Umar, was quoted as saying that the CCT has the statutory power to adjudicate on and determine the charges against Mr Magaji.
“He (Danladi Umar) explained that Mr Muhuyi Magaji can not continue to discharge the duties and responsibilities of his office while facing trial, to avoid any interference with the case. Hence the suspension, this is pending the conclusion of the trial,”‘ the statement quoted Mr Umar as saying.
The tribunal subsequently adjourned the trial until 7 and 8 May.
Mr Magaji was appointed to head the Kano State anti-corruption agency by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
However, while still serving as governor, Mr Ganduje, the current national chairperson of the ruling APC, came under the spotlight of the anti-corruption agency, leading to bad blood between him and Mr Magaji.
Mr Ganduje, as Kano State Governor, would later sack Mr Magaji from office as chairperson of the agency.
But upon assumption of office as Kano governor in May 2023, Abba Yusuf, in obedience to a subsisting court order, reinstated Mr Magaji as the state’s anti-corruption chairperson.
Mr Yusuf won the Kano State governorship election in March on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), defeating Mr Ganduje’s anointed candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, of the APC.
Following Mr Magaji’s reinstatement, he reopened Mr Ganduje’s investigation.
Mr Ganduje, while being governor, was seen in a viral video receiving wads of dollars from a contractor and pocketing them in his flowing gown.
It was also reported how the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and EFCC launched investigations against Mr Magaji over an alleged breach of the code of conduct, leading to allegations of using federal might to stifle local investigations.
A civil society organisation, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), had accused Mr Ganduje of exerting his influence on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the CCB to “intimidate” Mr Magaji for attempting to probe Mr Ganduje’s administration.
But, Mr Ganduje denied the allegation
Premium Times
