"I didn’t take N100m to suspend Emir Sanusi’s probe"

The Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurum, has denied a media report that he received N100m bribe to suspend the probe of Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II.

Rurum, on Tuesday in Kano, dismissed as false and an attempt to tarnish his image, the report by an online medium.

He also gave the medium one week within which to retract the report and apologise to the State Assembly or face legal action.

The speaker said the House would constitute a committee to investigate the matter, adding that the publishers must come before the committee to defend the allegation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state Assembly was divided over an alleged bribe received from industry mogul, Aliko Dangote, to suspend the probe of the emir.

He said, “I wish to clearly make it known that the story is not true, but mere libelous and false information aimed at tarnishing my image and that of my colleagues.”

According to him, the report is also targeted at creating tension and chaos among the lawmakers and ridicule the personality of Dangote.

“The story was a fabrication, a tissue of lies and unjustifiable, because there was never a time I met with Dangote to discuss such an issue, not to talk of him offering us a bribe.”

He explained that the intervention of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Northern governors and other notable Nigerians to stop the probe was channeled through the state governor and not directly to the Assembly.

“It is a tradition that when such things happen, 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.”