The Kano chairman of the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCAC), Muhyi Magaji Rimingado, has declared that he is not a saint. However, he is clean of any corruption charges.
The embattled anti-corruption czar fell apart with the Government after an alleged secret investigation into his financial misdemeanour, which allegedly came up when he commenced investigation on the Governor’s wife, Hafsat Ganduje’s activities.
The Accountant General of Kano state sent a memo appointing a new accountant for the commission to investigate the commission’s chairman. The chairman resisted saying it is outside his authority to do that.
He responded to questions from journalists in Kano on Wednesday refuting corruption accusations against him.
“An accountant is a subordinate staff. He can’t be the one to investigate his boss. They claim that I am afraid. Why should I be afraid of an accountant?
“More so, when the new Accountant was appointed, I called the Accountant General and told him that we would not accept him.
“Going by the laws establishing the commission, in section 15, the commission is given the powers to employ staff and see all issues concerning the personnel.
“In fact, the Kano Civil Service rule does not apply on the Commission. We have our own separate laws. Why then should I be afraid of an Accountant?
“Let me give you an example. According to section 9 of the laws establishing the commission, we are in charge of investigating all organs of government to ensure that they run according to law. How then can we that are empowered by the law to investigate graft watch on while we see corruption taking place? How do you think we can have the guts to enforce the law on others?
“We have the power to investigate even the Accountant General and even detain him if necessary. That is what the law provides. How can the Accountant General wake up one day and pick a paper and pen and write to me that he has appointed staff for the commission and I will accept? This is in total contradiction of the law.
“What is there to fear? If they want to investigate anything, they are free to. You can’t just appoint an Accountant and say he has come to investigate. They have an oversight function of setting up an investigation but not appointing an accountant. That is not what the law says,” he stated.
Defending his person from accusations, Muhyi said that he is not a saint, but he is clean.
“Let me tell you something, and I am not doing this for anyone to follow me or to please anyone. I swear by the Almighty God that I have an account with the Sterling Bank, and I don’t have up to N5,000 in it.
“Let them go and check it today and see if I have anything more than that I am a liar. I have an account with Zenith Bank. I have both Naira and Dollar accounts there. In my Dollar account, I have only $42 as of today.
“In my Naira account, I have about N1,900. You can go anywhere, both home and abroad, to enquire whether I have another. Whether here or in Abuja, check if I have invested any form of assets in fear of future poverty or anything. If there is anything like that, may the curse of the Almighty God befall it.
“I was approached during the first tenure with an offer. You know, when they want to do such corrupt things, they send people that know you, those you hold with respect. They are people you can only apologise and say no to not engage in corrupt acts.
“They came asking me to sell the part of Tebura Mall we are resettling some retailers to them at N300 million, but I refused. The person that came with the offer is out there listening to me.
“Now, if I had been engaging in corrupt acts when the Governor later revoked that place, where would I have placed myself?
“So I want them to know that I am not afraid of any investigation. I am fighting corruption. What is happening is more of corruption fighting back.
Allowing this to disorient me in the fight against corruption means I am not ready for the fight.
“My own opinion of serving the public is that of sacrifice. I am here to help myself by helping them in getting rid of corruption from our midst. When you help build a good society, you and your family will benefit from it.
“I am not saying that I am a saint or I don’t sin, no. Whatever comes the way that I can benefit from is only a bonus. I don’t feel bad losing it.
I was given a brand new official vehicle Kia Cerato when I realised that I hear insulting comments that it is part of what we have looted anywhere I go. I returned it to the government.
“The Code of Conduct can investigate even the house they are talking about that I own to confirm if there is anything illegal about it. If they discover anything beyond my earning, they can seize it,” he declared.
