Ganduje: Nigerians react as Governor allegedly uses underage pupils to protest $5m bribe video

Pictures of under-aged Kano students carrying placards in support of Governor Umar Ganduje has stirred reactions online from Nigerians.

The students were seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as: ‘Jafar, your video will not stop us from voting Ganduje’, Jafar is a great liar’, ‘Ganduje is a great man’.

The students seem to be condemning the video which captured the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje receiving bribe amounting to about $5million from contractors in the state released by Jaafar Jaafar, the Publisher of Daily Nigeria.

The images stirred different opinions from Nigerians on Twitter, condemning the use of children for politics.

Here are some comments gathered from Twitter:

@Nasidiqura “These poor kids who were supposed to be in schools were forced to carry placards to “protect” a governor whose children attend best schools in Europe and the US. Nigeria keeps disappointing us!

@Antscroll “Today is a placard, tomorrow will be machetes, daggers, and guns. Turning underaged children into political thugs and taking advantage of their innocence to cover-up your mess. This is another form of Child Abuse.”

@Elbinawi “That shameless thief in Kano, Gov Ganduje used kids to protest against his corruption bribe-taking by Jaafar. This shameless crook is exploiting these kids who should be in School. Kano state has the highest out-of-school children in Nigeria.”

@Leke “Who approved the use of school pupils to protest in favor of Ganduje during school hours? This is child abuse.”

@UmarG “The sad thing is the students may not even be able to read what’s written on the cardboard.”

@Zinadabo1 “The outfit of this kids seem to like that of children sent to Islamiya only for their mallams to connive with Ganduje’s boys & bring peoples’ children to the street to support corruption by holding placards with inscriptions they can’t read.Why? Kano why?

@Aliyussufiy “This picture of Sallari Primary School pupils carrying cardboards that reads “We don’t agree, it is fake news against governor [@GovUmarGanduje]” is making me cry. Someone, possibly their teacher, who should help prepare them for our future, is using them to cover.”

@ZaydGaya “Those kids should be in their various classes not on the streets. What sort of dirty politics is this? Ganduje Please have the decency to use grown adults, not underage persons. No one said you’re guilty just prove your innocence that’s all we demand for.”

@Nafeezi “Their children are busy in classrooms, studying in a highly equipped and conducive environments in private schools in and outside Nigeria. They have forced the children of the poor out of dilapidated classrooms to the street to raise placards in their support.”

@AhmadWakili ” Ganduje is grooming Kano Primary School Children to be political thugs. This is dangerous for Nigeria’s Democracy, it’s indeed pathetic and worrisome. These minors suppose to be in school now!

@joshseal “No wonder he’s so corrupt, his stooges force children out of school to protest over his corruption hearing. They are not eligible to vote take note @inecnigeria. What transpired in 2015 will not be accepted come 2019 election.”

@Alabitosin “Shame to this country. Can you see what they are using these children for? children that they have stolen their future.”

@Mujahid_yh “No no no! This is totally unacceptable. They belong to the classrooms and not the streets.”

Meanwhile, the publisher of Daily Nigeria, Jaafar Jaafar on Wednesday appeared before the lawmakers at the Kano State House of Assembly investigating the $5m bribery allegation against the Governor.

During his cross-examination, he refused to disclose the source (whistleblower) that provided the video recordings, showing the Governor allegedly collecting bribe in dollars.

Jaafar also presented material evidence including a hard disk containing more videos and other proofs.