Libelous allegation: Sen. Sumaila Threatens Legal Action Against Kano NNPP Chair

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Senator Kawu Sumaila(NNPP Kano South),has threatened to sue the Chairman of the state chapter of the NNPP, Hashimu Dungurawa, over a “libelous allegation” he made against him(Sen.Sumaila).

This is contained in a letter addressed to Dungurawa by Sunusi Musa (SAN),Managing Partner,Aliyu & Musa (SAN) Legal practitioners and Consultants.

In the letter which was dated Nov.12, said among other things that:”We act as solicitors to Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (“our client”), who is presently a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Kano South Senatorial District. It is on his instruction that we write this letter.

“The attention of our client was drawn to a radio programme being broadcast 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 our client of;

“1. 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;

“2.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

“3.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 as follows:

“….Kawu Sumaila, zargin da mu keyi fa, akwai aikin da aka baka kana dan majalissar tarayya na samar wa da sumaila ruwa, baka yi ba, ina kudin suke? Akwai aikin da aka baka na ka yi stadium a sumaila, ina kudin suke? Baka yi ba. Akwai kudin da kuka karba wajen yaron
nan, ana zargi me karfi, akan yaron nan Abba Bichi wanda yake majalissar tarayya bayan an gama yin zaben ku, kun gama cin zabe, da kai da Alhassan Rurum, kukace a baku dala miliyan tamanin, aka
baku, kuka kasa yin anti party. Ko kunyi ko baku yi ba, Abba sai yaci zabensa. Don a kada Abba azabe, Allah Ya sa Abban ya ci zabensa. Yaron nan va fitittike yace sai kun dawo masa da kudinsa, haka sai
da kuka dawo da Dala Miliyan Hamsin da Biyar.

“The translation of the above statement is;
“..Kawu Sumaila, there is a strong allegation that when you were in the House of Representatives, money was appropriated and made available to you to provide water in Sumaila, but you diverted the money. There was also money for constructing a stadium in Sumaila, which you diverted. There is also a strong allegation that you collected money from that boy Abba Bichi who is in the House of Representatives, after you won your election. You and Alhassan Rurum requested eighty million dollars, and you were given the money to ensure Abba lost the election. But God gave Abba victory. Then the boy insisted you must return his money, and you were made to refund fifty-five million dollars,” the lawyers said.

They argued that Dungurawa’s statement was intended to tarnish their 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 and has never been found wanting in the previous public offices he was privileged to occupy and the present one he is occupying,”they said.

“Our client is a trustworthy politician who is known for his integrity. He rose in his political career, winning elections five times without any accusation of rigging those elections. He was a three-term member of the House of Representatives and the Deputy Minority Leader of the 6th and 7th Houses of Representatives. He later served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters.

“Our client has never been accused of money laundering, corrupt practice, or election rigging in all the positions our client has served.

“It is, therefore, unacceptable to our client for you to impute such serious crimes against our client by accusing him of diverting public funds, breach of trust, money laundering, and electoral offenses after spending all these years serving people with all honesty and without being accused of any of the crime you are alleging.

“Since the interview’s publication, our client has received telephone calls from friends and associates worldwide wanting to know the truth or otherwise of the serious allegation you recklessly made against him. The number of calls, text messages, and voice notes he received has seriously dampened his spirit, and he feels utterly dejected as many people now see him as the opposite of what he is known to stand for. We are, therefore, by this letter demanding you, on behalf of our client, to,within 24 hours of receipt of this letter, retract the allegation in the same manner you made it,” the legal practitioners said.

They asked the NNPP chairman to also give the retraction wide publicity as he did the interview, “and a public apology to our client in two National dailies.’

“If you fail to accede to our demand within the stipulated time, our client will be compelled to seek legal redress in a court of law,” the lawyers added.