Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. One of the recent boiling issues in Kaduna State, the former headquarters of Northern Nigeria is the mismanagement allegations against the ex- governor of the state Nasir El-Rufai who served from 2015 to 2023 under the ruling APC.
It could be called that Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has accused his predecessor and his long-time friend Nasir El-Rufai of overburdening the state with a loan that he said almost crippled the state as it find it difficult to pay workers’ salaries.
Uba Sani said that his predecessor El-Rufai left the state with a loan that amounted to 587 million dollars,85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities.
This allegation against the former governor generated so much tension before the state Assembly set up a committee to probe the eight-year’s administration financial dealings plus the loans he acquired from foreign Landers and their utilization.
El-Rufai’s son criticised Governor Uba Sani
Bashir El-Rufai is the son of the former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.While reacting to Uba Sami’s statement on the debt burden left by the administration his father, he said Sani’s administration is suffering from incompetence and mismanagement.
He berated the governor for building a banquet hall for 7 billion Naira ,while complaining about his inability to pay salaries.
“The current administration in Kaduna is building a banquet hall for 7 billion Naira and is lamenting about debt left by the previous administration.These guys have realised that they wholly incompetent and the only way to mask the nonsense is to deflect.
From a Governor who is always sleeping in Abuja to a litany of incompetent aids who were only rewarded for foolish political reasons.
He was the Senator from Kaduna who lobbied and approved the loans.One would think that from all FAAC allocations these unserious clowns have changed to dollars ,debt would be the last of their problems “”El-Rufai’s son said in write up in his X page.
Kaduna Assembly recommends investigations against El-Rufai
The Chairman of the Kaduna State House of Assembly ad-hoc Committee, Henry Zacharia, said that most of the loans obtained under El-Rufai’s administration were not used for the purpose for which they were obtained, while in some cases, due process was not followed in securing the loans.
The speaker of the Kaduna House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman, also said that a total of 423 billion naira was allegedly siphoned by the El-Rufai administration leaving the state with huge liabilities.
The committee, therefore, recommended the investigation and prosecution of the former governor and some members of his cabinet by security and anti-corruption agencies for alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and money laundering.
The committee also recommended the immediate suspension of the Commissioner of Finance Shizer Badda, who also served in the same capacity under El-Rufai’s government.
El-Rufai’s reactions to the Kaduna Assembly’s move to investigate him
Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye is the El-Rufa’is spokesperson.He dismissed and described the action against the former governor of Kaduna State as “Politically motivated hatchet job”, the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s adoption of a report of its ad-hoc committee asked to probe his governance of the North- West state from May 2015 to May 2023.
In a statement on Wednesday 5th of June 2024 El-Rufai through his spoke person ,Muyiwa Adekeye ,said that,he led a government of integrity and competence during his eight – year administration.
Adekeye also affirmed the integrity of El-Rufai’s Government and dismissed as ” scandalous”, the claims by the Kaduna Assembly committee.
“Malam Nasir Ek-Rufai is immensely proud of his record of governance and the legacy he left in Kaduna State.This record of consistently high performance in public and private office can not be altered by any malicious effort to use the auspices of a state legislature for defamation and underserved smears.
Many of the officials who served in the El-Rufai government appeared before the ad-hoc Committee because of their confidence in the quality of their service and the rectitude which they served Kaduna State.They were under no illusion that they were participating in fair process.It was obvious that ,the ad-hoc committee was merely going through the motions of an inquiry just to give some gloss to predetermined conclusions.
It is sad to see such a shameful departure from any notion of decency and fairness by a state legislature.We dismiss with contempt the claims of being peddled in connection with the report.
Malam El-Rufai wishes to assure discerning Nigerians that he has served Kaduna State with integrity and to the best of his capacity ,assisted by a hardworking and patriotic team.He compiled with all extant laws in all his activities while he was the Governor.This jaundiced probe should be disregarded as the politically motivated hatchet job,it is’ El-Rufai’s spokes Man said.
Dr. Mukhtar Muhammed, is a political analyst. He said the recent ups and downs faced in Kaduna between the conflicting two political associates is not a new thing in Nigeria presently ,as Rivers State governor Fubra is facing a conflict with his predeocessor Nyesom Wike who is a serving Minister in Tinubu’s administration.
He added that with regard to loans collected by El-Rufai,is not a crime to access loans weather from domestic or foreign lenders ,but the contention is how the loan was utilised ,let the former Governor clear him self by facing the investigations of the state Assembly committee on the matter.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has the constitutional powers to form a committee that can investigate any matter particularly financial rescality if probe to be the truth.
The analyst said that ,this should serve as lesson to any politician ,especially governors who think to bring some one that will not uncover their mess is the best protection for them after leaving office with out having the foresight what might happen in future as politics is unpredictable particularly in Nigeria.
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