Kano state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Ibrahim Muktar said the state house of Assembly has no power to conduct criminal investigation against governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
According to him, the state Assembly had no trained experts or investigators to conduct the investigation, stressing that such assignment should be referred to Police or any relevant agencies.
Barrister Ibrahim Mukhtar who is also the third defendant, in a lawsuit filed by National coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria stated this at Kano state high court no. 3 presided over by Justice Ahmed Tijjani Badamasi in the suit challenging the legality of a panel constituted by the Assembly to probe alleged $5m bribery allegation against the governor.
The National coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria Barrister Muhammad Zubair filed a suit challenging the house constitutional right to investigate the bribery allegation.
When the matter was called for hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the Kano state House of Assembly, Barrister Muhammad Waziri argued that the Assembly has the power to investigate any person including the governor for the purpose of making laws and checking corruption.
Barrister Muhammad Waziri argued that though the governor enjoys immunity but it is not against the investigation to be conducted by the House.
He, therefore, pleaded with the court to dismiss the application filed by the counsel to the Plaintiff in view of the fact that it was trying to usurp powers given to the House by the constitution.
In his ruling after listening to the argument of both sides, the presiding Judge, Justice, A. T Badamasi fixed Thursday, Dec. 6, for judgment on whether the state Assembly has the power to carry out the investigation or not.
