BREAKING: Kano Legislators move to impeach deputy governor

Kano State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo may be impeached anytime soon by the State House of Assembly members.

He was accused of abuse of office and gross misconduct as well as breach of trust while serving as Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

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Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Lawal Hussaini Dala, on Thursday on the Assembly floor said the move to discipline the Deputy Governor complies with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Dala explained how the Deputy Governor diverted funds belonging to Local Government Councils in Kano State between 2023 and 2024 as as during during his current tenure as Deputy Governor of Kano State.

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While overseeing the state’s 44 local government councils as commissioner, Abdussalam participated in the diversion of funds intended for council operations.

Between June 2023 and January 2024, he reportedly received a kickback of N1.5 million from each council monthly—totaling N462 million over seven months.

Further, between February and July 2024, Abdussalam allegedly received additional payments from the councils for so-called “special assignments,” amounting to N3.255 million per council monthly, bringing the total to N726 million over six months.

The impeachment notice also accused the deputy governor of abusing his office by allegedly facilitating payments of N10 million each from the 44 councils to a pharmaceutical company, NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited, amounting to N440 million in violation of the state’s procurement and fiscal laws.

“The misuse of official capacity to confer undue advantage constitutes abuse of power and is contrary to the obligations of public office,” Dala said. He added that the combined allegations represent gross misconduct as defined under Section 188(2) of the constitution, including grave violations of constitutional provisions and serious wrongdoing by a public office holder.

Dala said the impeachment notice was endorsed by 38 lawmakers, meeting the constitutional requirement to initiate the process. He urged the Speaker to transmit the notice to the deputy governor as required by law.

“Based on the foregoing allegations, we hereby resolve that His Excellency, Aminu Abdussalam, the Deputy Governor of Kano State, be impeached and removed from office in accordance with the provisions of Section 188 of the Constitution,” Dala stated.

Following the presentation, members of the Assembly indicated their support for the notice. The Speaker acknowledged receipt of the document and is expected to communicate the allegations to the deputy governor in line with constitutional procedures.

Under the constitution, once served, the House may request the state’s Chief Judge to constitute a panel to investigate the allegations if the motion is supported by the required majority.

The deputy governor has yet to publicly respond to the allegations as of filing this report.

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