Corruption Allegation Against Gov Ganduje: Why My Hands Are Tied – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that one of the reasons his government cannot bear it’s corruption fighting fang  on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state is the immunity he enjoys.

In a statement today, Thursday by the presidential spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu, the President said: “Dr. Ganduje, the President said that as a sitting Governor, Ganduje enjoys immunity from prosecution in his own right. “Furthermore, under Nigerian laws, a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

“In the circumstances, the matter is in court and the President has no power to dictate to the court or the Kano State House of Assembly, which is already investigating the matter, about what to do with the allegations against Ganduje.

Buhari said that it is unfair to ignore the larger picture of his major successes in the war against corruption, including blocking leakages of corruption, which in turn, boosted government revenues.

Buhari, who specifically responded to comments criticising his proclamation by President Buhari of Ganduje as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, at a rally in Kano today,  Thursday, cited a number of high profile prosecution of senior government officials that a former Secretary to the Government and a former state governor who is a party member and now serving term in jail as indications of will and determination to wage the anti-corruption war without fear or favour.

Buhari said that the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf is currently on administrative leave as part of his government  commitment to transparency and accountability.

He said that despite some of the suspects being close to him, he had not shielded them from investigation, administrative suspensions and prosecution.

The President described as  sheer mischief the  suggestion that he is shielding anybody because of their closeness to him, explaining that no official under this administration would go unpunished once they break the law.

He challenged the critics to prove that those facing corruption allegations are innocent, even as he said that his zero tolerance for corruption has boosted and remarkably improved Nigeria’s image in the eyes of world leaders.