Why we sued Kano over funds, by forum

• Case for hearing February 3

ENCOURAGED by the presidential disclosure over the issue of Kano State local governments’ statutory allocation within the period of June 2011 to May 2014 sometime last year, a group called Forum for the Emancipation of Kano State has explained why it facilitated a court case by some selected individuals that were drawn from all the 44 local governments of the state.

  Chairman of the Forum, Abubakar Maishanu said, people from all the 44 local governments were angry when they heard from President Jonathan who then challenged the Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the local governments’ funds amounting to N255 billion that was released from the federation account from June 2011 to May 2014.

Maishanu, whose Forum facilitated the suit revealed that people approached them from all the 44 local governments and requested for their intervention. “We took it up and gave them lawyer. Whereas one person was picked from all the 44 local governments and each plaintiff represents the interest of his people. That is why they come together under one umbrella,” he said.

  “If you look at it critically people are dying unnatural death. Poverty is ravaging people in all the 44 local governments. In fact local government system is collapsing in Kano state. Please go and see it yourself,” Maishanu challenged.

  According to him the group was only interested in knowing what the state government has done with the fund. “If projects were said to be executed with such funds, then we need to see those projects. Where are they, he queried.

  With case number FHC/KN/CS/124/2014, the case was filed at the Federal High Court, Kano, under Justice Fatuhu Ruman, on the 27th August 2014. The plaintiffs that were drawn from all the 44 local governments are Sani Ibrahim Dan Zabuwa, as a lead plaintiff, Saleh Habibu Rurum, Kabiru Sule Rogo, Bashiru Panda, Shamsu Hamza Ajingi, among others.

  It was October 2014, that was the first sitting on the case. The second sitting came up on 12th November 2014 and the 3rd sitting was on 9th December 2014. The Judge was unavoidably absent during the day for the 3rd sitting. Then the case was adjourned to February 3rd, 2015.

  Joined as defendants in the case are the Kano state government, State Attorney General, Kano State House of Assembly, Accountant General of the Federation, Senate, House of Representatives and 44 local governments among others.