JUST IN: Court grants Ganduje power to borrow N10 billion for CCTVs

The Kano Division of the Federal High Court has vacated an interim injunction it earlier granted restraining Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano from borrowing N10 billion.

The suit was filed by Yusuf Isyaka-Rabiu, the director-general of a coalition of NGOs, Kano First Forum (KFF), seeking an order to stop the state government from securing the loan.

The respondents in the suit are the governor, Attorney General of Kano State, Commissioner of Finance, and Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly.

Others are Access Bank, Federal Ministry of Finance, Debt Management Office and Fiscal Responsibility Commission.

The court earlier restrained the government from borrowing the money to install Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV), cameras and parties to maintain the status quo.

Justice Abdullahi Liman vacated the interim order made on July 1, following the respondents’ counsel, Muhammad Dahuru’s application, urging the court to discharge and set aside the earlier order it granted against its clients.

Mr Liman vacated the order relying on the basis shown by the applicant’s only misrepresentation and concealment of fact materials.

He transferred the case to vacation court as the Federal High Court will begin the annual vacation on Friday.

The adjourned date will be communicated to both parties.

Earlier, counsel to the respondents, Muhammad Dahuru, filed a motion dated July 7, urging the court to discharge and set aside the earlier order it granted against his clients.

Counsel to the applicant, Badamasi Suleiman, filed five written addresses opposing the application filed by the respondent seeking to discharge the interim order it earlier granted restraining the state government from borrowing N10 billion.

The applicants are challenging Mr Ganduje on the N10 billion loan because of alleged non-compliance with rules and regulations governing loan transactions.

The applicants, in their prayers, challenged the state government without complying with the Debt Management Office Establishment Act, 2003, Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and Laws of Kano State, 1968.

The state House of Assembly had, on June 15, approved Mr Ganduje’s request to access the N10 billion facility from Access Bank.

(NAN)