The Kano State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against the state’s Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam, over allegations bordering on gross misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of public trust.
The impeachment notice was presented during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Ismail Falgore. The Majority Leader, Lawan Husseini Dala, introduced the document before lawmakers during the sitting.
According to the Assembly, the action was taken in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which grants state legislatures the authority to commence impeachment proceedings against a deputy governor for alleged misconduct.
While presenting the notice, Dala stated that Abdulsalam was accused of violating public trust during his tenure as Commissioner for Local Government between 2023 and 2024.
Lawmakers alleged that from June 2023 to January 2024, the deputy governor received monthly kickbacks of ₦1.5 million from each of the 44 local government councils in the state. The alleged payments, according to the Assembly, amounted to ₦66 million monthly, bringing the total to ₦462 million over a seven-month period.
Read Also:
- Tinubu approves ₦334bn Kano–Kongolom Road project
- Kano Assembly seeks extension of streetlights to Local Government Areas
- Kano commissioner for water resources resigns
The notice further claimed that between February and July 2024, Abdulsalam collected additional monthly payments of ₦3.255 million from each local government council, reportedly under the pretext of executing special assignments. This, lawmakers said, totaled ₦726 million during the six-month period.
In another allegation, the Assembly accused the deputy governor of abusing his position by facilitating the release of ₦10 million from each of the 44 local government councils, amounting to ₦440 million, to NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited.
Lawmakers argued that the payment allegedly violated provisions of the Kano State Public Procurement Law as well as the state’s Fiscal Management regulations.
The Assembly maintained that the alleged actions amount to gross misconduct and abuse of office as defined under Section 188(2) of the Nigerian Constitution.
“The diversion of local government funds and abuse of office by the deputy governor represent a fundamental disregard for constitutional norms and ethical standards expected of public officials,” the notice stated.
Reports indicate that 38 members of the Assembly appended their signatures to the impeachment notice.
Following the presentation, Speaker Falgore directed that the document be formally served on the deputy governor, in accordance with constitutional procedures governing impeachment processes.
