Africa’s billionaire, Aliko
Dangote has told the committee set up by the Kano State House of Assembly to
probe a bribery allegation against against him and its former speaker, Alhaji
Kabiru Rurum, not to waste their time on lies
An online portal had claimed that
Dangote gave Rurum N100 million to kill a probe of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi.
Speaking Monday night, Dangote
spokesman, Tony Chiejina told NAN that the allegation was ‘outright falsehood’
has been ’embarrassing’ to the businessmen.
“Aliko Dangote does not even know
the embattled speaker, Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, let alone being his friend
as alleged by the report”, Chiejina said.
NAN recalls that Rurum had while
responding to the allegation in an interview on 20 June, described the story as
false, designed to tarnish his image and bring the whole Assembly into
disrepute.
He gave the news sit one week
within which to retract the report and apologise to the State Assembly or face
legal action.
According to him, the report was
also targeted at creating tension and chaos among the lawmakers and ridicule
the personality of Dangote.
“The story was just a fabrication, a tissue of
lies and unjustifiable, because there was never a time I met with Dangote to
discuss such issue, not to talk of him offering bribe to us.”
He said that the intervention of
Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Northern Governors and other notable
Nigerians to stop the probe was channeled through the state governor and not
the assembly.
“It is a tradition that when such
things happened, the Governor gets in touch with us as one of the three arms of
government.
“Therefore, the governor
forwarded his request letter appealing for the suspension of the investigation
on behalf of all the concerned citizens.”
The Kano Assembly meanwhile has
asked a five-man committee to investigate the allegations against Rurum.
The new Speaker, Alhaji Abdullahi
Atta, proposed the investigation at the plenary. It was unanimously accepted by
the house.
Atta gave the committee, which
has as the chairman, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Assembly, Alhaji Muhammad
Butu-Butu, a member representing Rimin Gado/Tofa Constituency, three months to
submit its report.
