By Rabiu Sanusi
Shehu Wada Sagagi, Chief of Staff to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has taken legal action against the Northern Youth Merger Group, a platform under All Progressives Congress (APC), over the allegations of palliative diversion levelled against him.
Sagagi, chieftain of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), also dragged before the Kano state high court the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command; and one Hon. Musa Mujahid Zaitawa.
The APC Northern youth had filed a petition before EFCC accusing Sagagi of diversion of Federal Government Rice’s palliative to an Islamic Center, discrediting the reputation of the Chief of Staff to Governor Yusuf.
Sagagi, who had earlier dismissed the allegation, described it as misleading and politically motivated by the APC in their desperate attempt to malign his personality and that of the NNPP administration.
The top-flight Kano-born politician reiterated that his office has never been involved in palliatives distribution,, and no one has ever allocated the palliatives to him for onward distribution to state, local governments or ward level.
Sagagi added that the NNPP government has been transparent in its distribution of palliatives to the masses, with clear records of beneficiaries and distribution channels, missed as falsehood lacking all symptoms of fact the APC’s claims of diversion or rebranding.
According to Wada Sagagi, the APC’s bent on his personality is, unfounded and lacks concrete evidence, as he pointed out that such frivolous ranting is mere allegations designed to score cheap political stunts.
In an order granted by Justice Aisha Ya’u of the state high court, Sagagi has secured the knob of the court, restraining EFCC and the Commissioner of Police from arresting, intimidating or harassing him pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice filed against the four respondents.
The exparte order granted Thursday, 15th August 2024, reads, ” Upon reading motion exparte together with the accompanying affidavit in support dated 12th August 2024, duly deposed by Jennifer Jediel, an order hereby granted.
“An interim Injunction is granted restraining the respondents, particularly the EFCC and Commissioner of Police, by themselves, servants, agents, privies or whosoever and howsoever deriving authority from them from arresting, harassing, molesting and, or detaining the applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”.
The case is adjourned to 3rd September 2024 for a hearing on the motion on notice.