El-Rufai Dismisses Kaduna Assembly’s ‘Politically Motivated Jaundiced Probe’
Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai called the report by its ad hoc committee, which examined his leadership of the North-West state from May 2015 to May 2023, a “politically motivated hatchet job” after the Kaduna State House of Assembly adopted it.
By way of his spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, the former governor declared on Wednesday that during his eight-year term, he oversaw a competent and honest government.
The House received its report from the ad hoc committee established by the state legislature to look into all loans, contracts, and finances given out during the El-Rufai administration on Wednesday.
According to Henry Zacharia, the head of the ad hoc committee, most of the loans taken out during El-Rufai’s government were not used for the intended purpose, and in other instances the loans were secured without following necessary procedure.
Speaker of the Assembly Yusuf Liman claims that the El-Rufai administration embezzled N423 billion, leaving the state with huge liabilities.
The committee therefore advised that El-Rufai and a few of his cabinet members be looked into and prosecuted by security and anti-corruption organisations for alleged money laundering, diversion of public monies, and abuse of office.
The committee also suggested suspending Shizer Badda, the Commissioner of Finance, who held the same position during El-Rufai’s administration, immediately.
Adekeye, spokesman for El-Rufai, responded by defending the integrity of the government and brushing off the committee’s allegations as disgraceful.
He stated, “Malam Nasir El-Rufai is very pleased of his record of leadership and the legacy he left in Kaduna State. This track record of continuously strong performance in public and private office cannot be changed by any malevolent attempt to use the state legislature’s privileges for slander and unjustified smears.
“Because they were confident in the calibre of their work and the integrity with which they served Kaduna State, many of the El-Rufai government officials appeared before the ad hoc committee.” They had no illusions about taking part in an impartial procedure. Ad hoc committee was obviously just going through the motions of an inquiry to provide some gloss to preconceived results.
Such a repugnant break from any idea of justice and humanity by a state legislature is heartbreaking. We view the assertions made in connection with the report with contempt.
“Malam El-Rufai wants to reassure astute Nigerians that, with the support of a dedicated and patriotic staff, he has served Kaduna State with honesty and to the best of his ability. In all he did while governor, he followed the law. This cynical investigation ought to be written off as a politically driven hatchet job.