Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has sued the Kaduna State House of Assembly over allegations that his eight-year administration siphoned ₦432 billion, leaving the state with significant debt liabilities. El-Rufai’s lawyer, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, challenging the Assembly’s report, which indicted El-Rufai for alleged corruption. The former governor seeks to have the court declare the report null and void, arguing that he was not given a fair hearing.
Earlier in June, the ad hoc committee of the state Assembly submitted a report stating that most of the loans obtained during El-Rufai’s administration were misused and due process was often not followed. The committee, chaired by Henry Zacharia, recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai and some members of his cabinet for alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and money laundering. The Speaker of the Assembly, Yusuf Liman, claimed that a total of ₦432 billion was allegedly siphoned, resulting in significant liabilities for the state.
In response, El-Rufai’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, defended the former governor’s integrity, dismissing the committee’s claims as “scandalous.” He stated that El-Rufai and his officials served Kaduna State with integrity and complied with all laws during his tenure. Adekeye described the probe as politically motivated and urged Nigerians to disregard it as a baseless smear campaign.
