Federal court orders judges to quit judicial commissions probing Ganduje’s administration

The Federal High Court in Kano has ordered two judges to quit the judicial commissions set up by Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, to probe his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Mr Yusuf appointed Farouk Adamu and Zuwaira Yusuf in April to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry he set up to investigate allegations of misappropriation of public properties, political violence and missing persons under former Governor Ganduje.

The commissions’ scope of investigation covers 2015 to 2023, the period when Mr Ganduje served two consecutive terms as governor.

But Justice Simon Amobeda said the judges cannot take a fresh oath to perform an executive role while still being judicial officers.

Mr Amobeda gave the order while delivering judgement on Thursday in a case filed by Mr Ganduje asking the court to stop the probe of his administration.

He ordered the judges to vacate their seats on the commissions within 48 hours, failing which he ordered the National Judicial Council (1st Defendant) to stop paying their remuneration, allowances and benefits as judicial officers from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

He said the judges cannot perform executive functions assigned to them by the governor of Kano State in courtrooms meant to adjudicate disputes between persons and authorities in Kano State.

Mr Amobeda noted that the governor set up commissions to investigate Mr Ganduje without appealing a judgement delivered by Justice Abdullahi Liman of the Federal High Court declaring that Mr Ganduje can only be investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

He said the governor’s action amounts to abuse of office and undermines the sanctity of the judiciary.

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He said the Governor of Kano State has no power to appoint the judges to administer another oath of office on them to serve in commissions of inquiry constituted by the governor.

Mr Amobeda said such appointments should have been made to commissioners of Kano State Government in order to exercise executive powers assigned to them by the Governor of Kano State.