The Senator representing Kano South Senatorial zone, Sen.Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, has threatened legal action against the Kano State Chairman of the New Nigerian People’s Party, Hashimu Dungurawa, over alleged libelous statements.
In a letter written by Aliyu and Musa, legal practitioners/Consultants and lawyers to Senator Kawu and signed by Barrister Sunusi Musa, SAN, issued an ultimatum to the Kano NNPP Chairman, to retract the statement which the lawmaker viewed injurious to his personality with a public apology or face court action.
The letter dated 12th November 2024, read, ‘’The attention of our client was drawn to a radio program being broadcasted at Freedom Radio frequency 99.5 FM, which is also on the Facebook page of the radio station and is being listened to from any part of the world.
“The voice clip is also published to various individuals and groups on WhatsApp and Telegram platforms in all parts of the world. In the interview, you made serious allegations of corrupt practices, election rigging, and political backstabbing against our client by falsely accusing.”
The letter which was made available to our reporter on Wednesday, said the allegations include, ‘’ Diversion of public funds meant for the provision of water in Sumaila Local Government Area when he was Honourable Member of the House of Representatives representing Sumaila/Takai Federal Constituency.
Other allegations according to the letter are, ’’ Diversion of public funds for the construction of a stadium in Sumaila Local Government Area when he was Honourable Member of the House of Representatives representing Sumaila/Takai Federal Constituency, and Collecting the sum of USD$80,000,000.00 (Eighty Million United States Dollars) from Honourable Abubakar Kabiru Bichi, Honourable Member representing Bichi Federal Constituency, to rig the 2023 Kano State Gubernatorial election in favor of All Progressives Congress (APC) against his party.
‘’In the interview, you falsely accused our client of serious crimes in the Hausa Language.’’
‘’The above statement was intended to tarnish our client’s hard-earned reputation by portraying him as a corrupt public office holder, election rigger, money launderer, and untrustworthy politician.
‘’Our client is a reputable politician who has built a reputation as an advocate of good governance and always practices the same in all the positions he finds himself in. He has built his reputation over the years.”
It said since the interview’s publication, Kawu Sumaila has received telephone calls from friends and associates wanting to know the truth or otherwise of the serious allegation Hashim Dungurawa recklessly made against him.
Hence the letter demanded within 24 hours of the receipt, a retraction of the allegation in the same manner Dungurawa made it.
Secondly, give the retraction the wide publicity as you did in the interview and a public apology in two national dallies.
It added that failure to do this would leave the office with no option but to drag the party chairman to court for libellous acts.
Efforts to contact the NNPP chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa to comment on the issue failed as he refused to pick the several phone calls from our Correspondent.
