Group Demands Disqualification Of Niger PDP Governorship Candidate

A group of youths known as Concerned Niger Youths has ruled out the likelihood of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Liman Isah Kantagi, emerging as winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Niger State.

Accordingly, it called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify him from the governorship poll on grounds of indictment by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The youth group, in a statement, wondered why the opposition party would field someone with questionable public standing as its candidate for the poll 

It noted that having been indicted by the courts over allegations bothering on money laundering and other sharp practices, Kantagi cannot aspire to govern the state he so brazenly wronged by the alleged act.

The group said the state deserves someone whose hands are not tainted and soiled by allegations of wrong doing as public officer like that of Kantagi.

Citing the Federal High Court verdict which indicted the governorship candidate for offenses relating to money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the group also noted that an attempt by Kantagi to reverse the judgment of the lower court at the appeal court was dismissed in February 2022.

In the statement signed by its coordinator, Ndagi Mohammed Lemu, the group wondered why the PDP would field such person as candidate for the state’s number one position knowing the enormity of the indictment.

The group called on the people of Niger State to rise up against  lootters of their commonwealth by ensuring that they come near public offices to perpetrate such acts.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja in February 2022 dismissed  Kantigi’s application for leave to reverse the judgment of the trial court bothering on money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma on February 4 but a copy sighted by our correspondent yesterday held that the application being an abuse court process was liable to be dismissed and was accordingly dismissed. 

Appellants in the appeal marked, CA/A/CR/468/2021 is Liman Isa Kantigi while, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Musa Datti, Sadiq Air Travel Agency Ltd, Katah property & Investment are the 1st, 2nd 3rd, and 4th respondents respectively.

Liman kantigi, along with others, were charged for offenses relating to money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering before the Federal High Court Abuja on the 25” day of June 2018. 

In the said charge, the Appellant’s name was deployed in all 13 counts as predicate offender but the Appellant himself was said to be at large. 

At the trial court, the petitions upon which the learned trial Judge found against the appellant was admitted in evidence as Exhibit O and P respectively from Niger State Government alleged that the sum of N 18,000,000.00 (Eighteen Million Naira Only) and N141,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Forty-One Million Naira Only) respectively when appellant occupied an office in Niger Government house. 

At the end of the trial, by justice jeoma L. Ojukwu the Appellant was indicted by the trial court which found that the offence alleged against the Appellant were established by the prosecution. 

Dissatisfied, the appellant applied to appeal against the judgment, but the court found no merit in his appeal and dismissed the appeal.