THE Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken legal action against the Kaduna State House of Assembly regarding their assertion that his administration embezzled ₦432 billion during his eight-year tenure, resulting in significant debt burdens for the state.
El-Rufai filed a fundamental rights lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna through his lawyer, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, contesting the findings of the Kaduna Assembly Committee that implicated him in corrupt practices.
In the lawsuit, El-Rufai demanded that the court invalidate the Assembly’s report, arguing that he was not afforded a fair opportunity to defend himself and address the allegations made by the committee.
The respondents in the lawsuit include the Kaduna State House of Assembly and the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice.
The Assembly’s ad hoc committee, led by Henry Zacharia, had recommended El-Rufai’s prosecution after alleging that funds were misappropriated during his administration, with loans not being utilized for their intended purposes and irregularities observed in the loan acquisition process.
Speaker Yusuf Liman stated that ₦423 billion was misappropriated by El-Rufai’s government, leading to substantial liabilities for the state.
The committee further suggested that El-Rufai and some of his cabinet members be investigated and charged by law enforcement agencies for misconduct, financial mismanagement, and money laundering.
In response to these allegations, El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, defended the integrity of the former governor’s administration, condemning the committee’s claims as baseless and defamatory.
Adekeye emphasized El-Rufai’s unwavering commitment to transparency, compliance with laws, and high performance in public service, dismissing the allegations as politically motivated attacks without merit.
He said, “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 which they served Kaduna State. They were under no illusion that they were participating in a 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 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.”
