Bashir Mohammed takes a look at the public hearing on the video clips allegedly showing Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje collecting bribe, which is undergoing investigation.
Investigation journalism at its best
At the time Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstien of the Washington Post exposed the excesses of President Richard Nixon in the high profile Watergate scandal, which led to his resignation in 1972 to avoid impeachment, the concept of investigative journalism had come to be seen as a subtle mechanism of checking the excesses of prominent figures in the corridors of power.
Nixon had praised him for doing a thorough job by investigating the biggest ever scandal in American political history, balancing his story as required by the ethics of investigative journalism. He acknowledged that Woodward had discharged his professional responsibility in line with national interest.
The Washington Post was considered by millions of people in the world, as a credible epitome of investigative journalism and it inspired young reporters to develop flair for investigative journalism seen by many as veritable weapon for exposing the excesses of those in the position of leadership.
Jaafar at his best?
When the publisher of Daily Nigerian,an online news paper, Malam Jaafar Jaafar, released his controversial video clips depicting the person of governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, allegedly taking bribe from an unidentified contractors, Kano people had received the news with rude shock leading the governor’s teeming supporters to view it as an orchestrated ploy invented using digital age instrument to tarnish and smear the reputation of the governor.
The controversial clips, had generated considerable amount of hoopla in political circles in the State at the time Governor Ganduje is seeking a second term, making those supporting the governor’s bid to reached the conclusion that his detractors are desperately seeking to scuttle his journey back to Kano Government House..
Many doubted the genuineness of the video clips because those who were alleged to have bribed the governor to the tune of $5m were not sighted in the clips insisting that since the clips only showed the personality of the governor allegedly receiving the bribe, it made mockery of the entire episode.
However, the tension and controversy generated by the video clips was what prompted the leadership of the State House of Assembly to inaugurate a 7-man Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Baffa Babba Danagundi to investigate the circumstances surrounding the controversial video and come up with a comprehensive report, for everyone to hear.
Video a hoax?
Feathers were however ruffled when the Committee formally invited the Daily Nigerian publisher to appear before it on account of inadequate security for his safety throughout the period of the Committee’s sitting. In fact the publisher himself had reassured the people that nothing could ever stop him from appearing before the Committee.
However, Jaafar had to the surprise of everyone summoned the courage to appear before the Committee, exuding an aura of confidence, strapping the glorious Quran to his right shoulder, after he was ushered into the Assembly Complex by heavily armed security operatives in a Rambo-like operation.
He told anyone that he had appeared before the Committee to prove his case beyond any reasonable doubt even if it means swearing by the holy book, insisting that the video clips are authentic and genuine. Further, he said it was meticulously examined by graphic experts and officials of the amnesty International and members of Civil Society Organizations, before the videos were release.
No it’s real
Jaafar told the 7-man committee investigating that he had never contacted either the governor or any of his aides to balance his story and also confirmed to the committee that the video clips were genuine and authentic.
Speaking under cross examination by the Committee chairman, Jaafar said he had been privileged to get the clips from a whistleblower, stressing that he went ahead to publish history, because the State government had already issued a statement debunking the allegation.
According to him, he had been obliged not to disclosed the identity of the whistle blower in line with the concept of absolute confidentiality positing that the clips were thoroughly scrutinized, examined and well analyzed by graphic experts who reached the conclusion that the clips were genuine and that he had not in any way tampered or doctored it for primordial considerations.
“I was able to secure the video clips in September this year, but was opportune to see it for quite a long time. I was not in a haste to release them because I had wanted to convince myself about it authenticity. As you see me now with the Glorious Quran strapped to my shoulder, I am ready to swear before this panel that the video clips are genuine, real and authentic.
“My action was never informed by any primordial considerations or politically motivated or purposefully being orchestrated to tarnish and smear the reputation of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. I am never sponsored by any politician to release the clips on account of dancing to the whims and caprices of any individual he added.
“With the security arrangement put in place to ensure my safety, I am absolutely confident that I would be safe throughout the period of this investigation. I would also consult my lawyers on whether to agree to produce the whistle blower in the clips or not, it all depends on consultations”, he said.
Forensic experts
The chairman of the 7-man Committee, Dr. Babba Danagundi, who also chaired the cross examination session, supported by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Ibrahim Mukhtar, said even though the Daily Nigerian publisher has told the Committee that he had engaged the services of graphic experts to examine the clips, there was the compelling need for Governor Ganduje to be given the chance to engage his own experts to carry out similar exercise.
“We have heard from you about the effort you made to engage the services of graphic experts to examine the clips…We also, for the sake of fair hearing, will accord His Excellency the same opportunity to engage the services of his own experts to carry out thorough scrutiny of the video. We would also on our part engage the services of independent experts not in any way related to both parties to conduct a similar exercise”, the chairman said.
While expressing the resolve of the Committee to execute its assigned responsibility without bias or prejudice, Danagundi further revealed that the Committee was ever ready to invite the publisher and his lawyers for further enquiries whenever the need arises noting that the works of the committee would always be predicated on objectivity, fairness and decorum.
Adequate security
Our correspondent, who covered the proceedings, reports that security for the publisher was water-tight throughout the period of the public hearing even as tens of thousands of the governor’s supporters were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions drumming support for the governor.
Stakeholders had reacted with great consternation especially considering the gravity of the allegation levelled against the governor, with the concept of fair hearing not invoked as ordained by the ethics guiding the conduct of investigative journalism in a democratic age, stressing that were such concept was not invoked, one is at an ample liberty to institute a legal suite in a court of law for defamation of character.
In the words of a Ganduje’s supporter, Malam Lawan Magashi, no sane person could ever believed that the video clips are genuine, knowing that it could be invented to besmirch the integrity of governor, considering the stunning pace with which he had effected high profile giant strides within a short span
“I remained cynical. I don’t trust the genuineness of the video clips since the publisher did not balanced the story from the governor or any of his aides. For me it was the highest act of professional misconduct and carelessness”.
Also, Malam Sani Shehu of Kwalwa quarters said the investigation had come at the right time when the war against graft is supposed to be fought with the temerity it deserved pointing out that getting to the root of the matter would force those in the corridors of power to be on their toes.
The contention of notable pundits remains that both the publisher of Daily Nigerian, Malam Jaafar Jaafar and Governor Ganduje have the burden of proof on their shoulders.
