The Kaduna State House of Assembly established an ad hoc committee to review all finances, loans, and contracts awarded under the immediate-past governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and filed its findings on Wednesday, indicting the ex-governor and several of his officials for syphoning N423 billion in state funds.
However, El-Rufai’s media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, quickly dismissed the allegation as untrue and scandalous.’
“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 will 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,” Adekeye clapped back.
The Assembly, in adopting the 13-man panel’s report, asked the incumbent Governor, Uba Sani, to refer El-Rufai, his Commissioner of Finance, and other aides to competent security agencies for inquiry.
In April, the Assembly established a 13-member group, led by Deputy Speaker Henry Danjuma, to investigate El-Rufai’s government.
The Assembly’s investigation began weeks after Uba Sani, the incumbent governor of Kaduna State, complained that El-Rufai had left him with a large debt profile.
Sani, speaking during a town hall meeting in Kaduna, said he inherited a lean treasury and was unable to pay workers’ salaries.
Sani said, “Despite the huge debt burden of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.”
While presenting the report during Wednesday’s plenary, Danjuma stated that the majority of loans secured during El-Rufai’s government were not used for the intended purpose, and that in some cases, proper process was not followed in obtaining the loans.
Receiving the report, Yusuf Liman, Speaker of the Kaduna House of Assembly, stated that the El-Rufai administration syphoned a total of N423 billion, leaving the state with massive liabilities.
The committee’s report, which was immediately adopted and its recommendations forwarded to state Governor Sani for immediate action, alleged that El-Rufai authorised massive withdrawals of cash from the state’s coffers, both in naira and dollars, with no records of utilisation, depriving the state of critical resources for development.
It further claimed that El-Rufai was involved in collusive actions with commissioners and heads of parastatals by allegedly sending directions to the Kaduna Public Procurement Agency to avoid due process in contractor payment via a letter dated June 21, 2021.
The committee reported that certain government contractors were overpaid, while others received funds without completing the allotted jobs.
It consequently suggested that the contractors it identified restore a total sum of N36.3 billion as “funds paid for work either not done, overpayment, or diversion to the Kaduna State government.”
The committee also recommended that the current Commissioner of Finance, Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, and Executive Secretary of the State Pension Bureau step aside to allow for a thorough investigation of the ministry’s and agencies’ activities.
