These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

The Kano House of Assembly on Monday constituted a seven-man committee to investigate the authenticity of the video recording of  Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, allegedly taking bribe from a contractor, published by an online news medium, Daily Nigerian.

Majority Leader of the House, Alhaji Baffa Babba Danagundi who made contributions to the discussion during plenary advised the executive arm of government to halt filing in a case before a court of law on the alleged video clip.

Speaker of the House, Kabiru Rurum while ruling on the deliberation, urged the committee to investigate the matter and submit its reports within one month.

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In a related development, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it cannot take any action on the allegation against the Kano Governor, as shown in a video in circulation where he is seen to have taken bribes from contractors, since the matter had been taken to court.

Spokesman of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this when he spoke to Premium Times via telephone on Monday, as he said the Governor Ganduje had sued the platform responsible for the two clips of the scandalous footage – Daily Nigerian, released between Sunday and Monday.

“The matter is in court, the governor has taken the medium to court. We cannot comment on a matter that is already before a law court,” he said.

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The Federal Government has charged Senator representing Osun West and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 22 governorship elections in Osun, Ademola Adeleke  and four others before the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged involvement in examination malpractices.

Adeleke and the other accused, Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of the school), Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (school Registrar) and Dare Samuel Olutope (teacher) are facing a four-count charge filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of fraudulently, through personation, registering as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro Osun State to enable them sit for the National Examination Council (NECO) examination of June/July 2017.

They are to be arraigned on October 31 before Justice I. E. Ekwo.

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The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has nullified the reported suspension of its National Vice Chairman for the North East, Comrade Mustapha Salihu by the zonal chapter of the party.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party declared that the zonal chapter does not possess the powers to suspend Salihu, stressing that “whatever issues there might be, the party structure and constitution provides ample avenues for redress and dispute resolution.

“We state categorically that the purported suspension is a nullity as the ‘North East Zonal Office’ does not have such powers to suspend a National Officer. According to the Party’s constitution, such powers reside with the National Executive Committee NEC,” the statement read.

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The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said that his meeting with Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar was strictly to support and witness their reconciliation which he has been trying for some years to achieve.

Kukah said that it was imperative for him to react to the event of October 11 not only to allay the concerns of the public who may have seen the event in a different light but to set the records straight.

“I was not in Abeokuta to endorse Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I fully understand the feeling of some persons who believe I travelled with Alhaji Abubakar to witness his endorsement by former president Obasanjo but this was not the case at all,” he said.

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