El-Rufai denies alleged N423b fraud slammed against him by Kaduna Assembly

 

Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has broken his silence over the allegation by the Kaduna State House Assembly that the government he headed between May 2015 and May 2023 embezzled a whopping sum of N423 billion. 

 

Speaking through his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye on Wednesday, El-Rufai claimed he led an honest and competent eight-year government.

 

El-Rufai ‘s spokesman reacted hours after the Kaduna Assembly received a report from the ad hoc committee tasked with investigating the finances, loans, and contracts awarded during the tenure of the former Governor.

 

The report indicted the former Governor and several Commissioners who served under him.

 

The House alleged that N423 billion of the state resources was siphoned under the El-Rufai’s government and asked the incumbent Governor Uba Sani to refer the former Governor and former Commissioners of finance to relevant security agencies for investigation.

 

Presenting the report during plenary on Wednesday, the chairman of the ad hoc committee and Deputy Speaker Henry Magaji Danjuma, said that most of the loans obtained under the 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 committee recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai, and some other indicted members of his cabinet by security and anti-corruption agencies for abuse of office through the award of contracts without due process, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

 

The statement reads: “We are aware of news that the Kaduna State House of Assembly has adopted the report of the ad-hoc committee it asked to probe the El-Rufai government.

 

“We have not been provided with a copy of the report, to which we would respond robustly whenever we obtain it. We affirm the integrity of the El-Rufai government and dismiss the scandalous claims being aired as the report of the committee.

 

“Malam Nasir El-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 cannot be altered by any malicious effort to use the auspices of a state legislature for defamation and undeserved 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 in which they served Kaduna State.”

 

“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 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 complied 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.”