The Kano State House of Assembly has given three months to a committee to investigate its erstwhile Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, who was accused of allegedly diverting N100 million meant for members of the house.
The committee was set up by the new Speaker, Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, and will be chaired by the Deputy Chief Whip of the house, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Butu-Butu.
Ata, who emerged as speaker yesterday said the committee was given three months within which to complete its work and summit the report to the house.
Ex-Speaker Rurum resigned as head of the assembly yesterday to allow for investigation into how the N100m allegedly meant for the Kano legislators disappeared.
The former speaker was accused of allegedly collecting N100m bribe from Alhaji Aliko Dangote to halt the removal of the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Emir Sanusi was at that time being probed by the house over alleged abuse of office. The money was allegedly channeled to Rurum through two separate accounts in Zenith and Skye banks by one Alhaji Danladi Hanga, but the ex-speaker allegedly kept mute until the bubble burst.
However, observers have already started predicting that the setting up of the committee was mere distraction; saying its findings would lead to nothing.
“What exactly do they want to find out after the alleged source of the money, the account it was sent and how it was shared are now in the public domain? Usman Ali, an APC member in Gwale, said.
“I expected that some people should be in police custody by now and heading to the courts not setting up a committee; our so called legislators should stop deceiving us please,” he said.
Daily Trust reliably gathered that a week ago, some members of the house had petitioned the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission over the bribe allegation and the commission had referred the case to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
A source close to the Kano anti-corruption commission confirmed receipt of the petition saying: “One of the accounts where the money was lodged belongs to the ex-speaker and the other is a corporate account.”
He said Rurum was also alleged to have shared a portion of the money among some principal officers of the house and his errand boy.”
Rurum, in a letter of resignation, said: “The first duty of any speaker is to protect this institution which we love and cherish so much. It is my view, however, that the prolonged leadership turmoil for almost one month will do irreparable damage to our beloved institution.
“To this end, I hereby step aside as speaker of this honourable house to enable the house conduct proper investigation into the bribe allegation,” he said.
When the letter of resignation was read by the clerk on the floor of the house, Member representing Dala Local Government Area moved a motion nominating the Majority Leader, Abdullahi Ata, to be elected as new speaker.