Baba Sale Zaria is the national president, National Right Protection Organisation, an NGO based in Zaria. In a no-hold bared interview with UJI ABDULLAH ILLYASU, he took a swipe at those behind the Ganduje bribery video scandal.
What can you say about the recent video involving Gov Ganduje in the bribery scandal released by Ja’afar Ja’afar?
Well, the so-called Ganduje video, in my humble opinion and that of millions of Nigerians, appears to be sheer blackmail in an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the governor. When it occurred, due to the gullibility of the public and mischief, some assumed it was true without considering other options. But thank God, over time the issue is dying naturally because it could be false of which as we all know, cannot stand the test of time.
Was it as a result of the suit instituted by Ganduje against the state assembly that the matter is dying down?
Far from it. It was a Kano High Court presided over by Justice A.T. Badamasi that granted an injunction restraining the state assembly investigative committee from further investigating the alleged $5 million bribe involving Ganduje. It was one Barr who on behalf of himself and the Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, that sued the chairman of the Investigative Committee on the bribery allegation (Hon Baffa Babba Danagundi) and the state Attorney-General, challenging the constitutionality of the House to investigate the allegation, which is a criminal case. So, by and large, the whole episode is marred with falsehood and mischievous intentions to achieve political motives against the governor, hence it did not succeed.
In your view, what informed Jaafar to appear before the investigation committee with a copy of the Holy Quran to back up his claims?
It is left for the general public to realise that the videos he made public could be fabricated, doctored and put-together in order to tarnish the towering image and reputation of Ganduje, sponsored by some political enemies. When the House Committee invited him, did they tell him to come along with a Holy Quran? Who told him there is no copy of Quran in case he needs one at the House of Assembly? It was baffling when the public saw him with Quran bag (gafaka) of which no one is sure whether it was really the Quran or some pack of novels inside. Ja’afar has discredited himself by dramatising the issue in order to win public sympathy from the people of Kano state, the House Committee and Nigerians. He was invited to produce evidence. Is the Holy Quran evidence in that case? During his cross-examination, he refused to disclose the source that provided the video recordings showing the governor allegedly collecting bribe in dollars. Jaafar also presented material evidence including a hard disk containing more videos and other proof. All right-thinking people expected him to come along with concrete and scientific evidence that the videos are genuine and authenticated, including the names of so-called contractors, the givers of the bribe money; the place where the monies were given, the times, the amounts in instalments as well as the devices used in recording the incidents, but he did not. That is why the whole story appears concocted. The enemies organised secondary school students to protest; can you imagine that political mischief.
Some are wondering why the governor hastily went to court when the committee had not finished its work and made it public. Isn’t that an indication something was fishy?
First, let me correct this impression. It was not the governor that went to court, but an NGO. To use the devil’s advocate, I am certain they did it to save democratic governance from being destroyed. Secondly, the House of Assembly does not have the constitutional powers to institute an investigative committee against the person of the governor or any other person for that matter on issues that border on criminal conducts.
According to the law, the state House of Assembly only has the powers to make laws by establishing an anti-graft agency which can investigate such matter. The judge also noted that investigation of crime or criminal allegations are the responsibility of the executive arm through the police or any other anti-graft agency as the House can only invite members of the public on matters that have to do with law making. That is the position of the law, hence the investigation stopped. It is not the governor that halted it but the rule of law.
Watching the videos, one is likely to believe it is genuine and not concocted. What is your reaction?
The first observation that raises dust over the credibility of the entire videos is the manner its intended release was advertised. The question is, how can a journalist give advance notice that he is going to release an explosive news item, in this case a video clip, when he knows that the document has the potential of putting him in harm’s way? When he released the first and second videos, he admitted that someone has promised to take him and his family outside this country. But when the man refused to honour the promise, saying that he could only do it after the 2019 elections, he declined and released another video that indicated blackmail and mischievous motives. This raises a moral and credibility question because it is either he is giving the notice because he wants to negotiate and collect money which is blackmail or the action is borne out of professional deficiency.
On the motive, certain issues came up. Who is the person that released the video? Which organisation does he work for? Is it possible that he could be used either directly or indirectly by some politicians somewhere to get at the governor? Is it possible that the video may be a ploy to attract grants from international organisations, especially in the United States, Europe or in other parts of the world? Could Ja’afar be trying to use such a video or story to seek asylum in another country by releasing the clip just to claim that his life is in danger? What are his antecedents in the journalism industry in Nigeria? These are questions whose answers could shed more light on the motives of the videos.
The second aspect is from the giver and receiver, no face in the video; if it is a contractor that is handing over the money to the governor, who is that contractor? Why was his face not shown? When he met the governor, was he representing himself or representing a group of contractors? And if he is representing other contractors, how could beneficiaries of the system organise themselves to commit a crime against their benefactor? The giver and taker of a bribe are equally guilty. If they can all organise themselves like a criminal ring just to implicate somebody, it implies there is a premeditated course of action to set up the governor and tarnish his image.
To this one may ask, is Amnesty International a video vetting agency and since when have media houses begun to screen the editorial content of one another to certify authenticity? All these could be evidence to prove that the videos are fabricated, concocted, doctored and intended to destroy the image of the governor.
People expected President Buhari to instruct the anti-corruption agencies, especially EFCC and ICPC, to take a hard stand on the videos but nothing as such happened…
(Cuts in)…. President Buhari is no push-over. He is very cautious in making comments or taking decisions. That is why many Nigerians are calling him Baba go slow. Besides, he knows and believes in the integrity of Gov Ganduje. His comment on the whole saga has demoralised the blackmailer as well as his sponsors. He said on Channels TV that Ganduje is a very responsible man who has done very well to warrant his praise. I want people to know that Gov Ganduje was a victim of a seemingly concocted video designed by political opposition elements to deface his hard earned image and present him as a persona non grata and bribe-taker governor rather than a hard-working, credible and compassionate political leader, par excellence. The EFCC has said that the governor is still serving and constitutionally covered by immunity clause that prevents the president and governors from prosecution. Being that as it may, the matter is in the instance subjudiced. It says he enjoys constitutional immunity from criminal proceedings as per the law. Therefore, there is nothing hidden or against the law about EFCC not investigating Gov Ganduje. Opposition elements and Ja’afar’s sponsors are saying so because they did not get what they expected, hence they resorted to mentioning anti-corruption agencies to do their biddings. It is unfortunate that to qualify as a ‘good politician’ in this country, one has to be a liar, someone who break promises, public treasury looter and representative of all other negative traits. So politicians go to any extent to destroy the credibility of their opponents. They believe in do or die politics. The negative impression about the game of politics is what is killing and undermining our democratic enterprise and affecting the likes of Governor Ganduje who appears hell-bent in bringing meaningful development to the people.
