Kano gov sacks commissioner after death threat to tribunal judges

Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf last night sacked his Commissioner of Lands and Physical Planning, Adamu Kibiya following his (Kibiya’s) Thursday death threat to members of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

The governor also dismissed the Special Adviser on Youth Development, Aliyu Yusuf-Imma for disparaging Vice President Kashim Shettima on social media.

The governor distanced himself from the “unguarded utterances”, according to the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Baba Halilu-Dantiye.

The commissioner said at a press conference in Kano that the governor had sacked the two officials with immediate effect.

“Kano State Government has respect for Vice President Kashim Shettima and the judiciary; henceforth no government official should talk on any issue outside his ministry or agency,” Halilu-Dantiye said.

He urged people of the state to be law abiding and respect the rule of law.

Earlier yesterday, Aliyu had drawn flak from various quarters following the death threat to members of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

The sacked officials spoke during a special prayer by supporters of the governor for the tribunal judgment to be in their favour.

The sacked commissioner in a video that has gone viral said: “I am sending this message to the tribunal judges, any judge that allows himself to be used and collect bribes and pass judgement that is not right, we want to tell him he must choose between his life and the bribe money he collected.

“We are promising you (our supporters), we are receiving your complaints, the votes you cast for His Excellency (Governor Yusuf) will not go in vain unless we lose our lives or Kano State will fall.

“Another message for the leaders: You have seen the conflict (banditry) in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina, I swear because of this governorship seat, everyone will die. The conflict that will start in Kano will be deadlier than the ones in those states and Borno.”

Reacting to Aliyu’s statement yesterday, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Adekola Mustapha said the matter should be immediately reported to the police.

“The concerned judges should make an official report to the police. This comment is criminal and should not be taken for granted. The judges should have the Commissioner to explain himself.”

He added: “Did he get any information that they were collecting bribe or what? Was it just an assumption or insinuation? What was the basis of his conviction or insinuation? I believe it’s speculative. He is not supposed to threaten the judges.

“I also expect the Chief Judge of the state to engage the state governor on this. This is how they bring about bad blood between the legislature and the judiciary.”

Continuing, the SAN said: “These arms of government are supposed to work together. This is intimidation. And if they give judgment against them, they will say we have said it before, it is because they have taken bribe. That nonsense should stop.”

Former Secretary-General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief Anthony N.Z Sani said the security agencies should do the needful as required by law when such death threat is issued.

He said democracy thrives on the rule of law, and therefore asked the NNPP or its members to take their grievances against those whom they think have given the bribes and those who collected the bribes to court, instead of resorting to violence.

Chief Sani said: “Our democracy thrives on the rule of law. And just as the APC has taken its grievances against the election of NNPP for governorship to the tribunal, the NNPP is expected to take its grievances against those whom he thinks have given the bribes and those who collected the bribes to court and not to resort to taking the law into its hands.

“Our leaders should cultivate the tenets of democracy by helping to strengthen the democratic institutions instead of trying to undermine the democracy by not respecting the judiciary which is a seminal arm of government without which there can be multiparty democracy.

“Like I said earlier, our democracy thrives on rule of law which the security agents are expected to enforce. The security agents know what the law expects them to do in these circumstances. They should therefore do the needful in accordance to what the law expects them to do in such situations.”

Also condemning Aliyu’s outburst Senator Shehu Sani described the threat as unfortunate asking the commissioner to withdraw it.

Senator Sani said :“If actually he (the Commissioner) has issued that threat, then it’s unfortunate and unbecoming of his position.

“I believe that the people of Kano State voted for NNPP without intimidation, so why should the Judiciary be intimidated to deliver judgement?

“The people are watching. The commissioner should withdraw his statement. And the judiciary should dispense justice according to the law.”

Former Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, said: “It’s left for the tribunal to do what is right.”