Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has taken legal action against the Kaduna State House of Assembly, challenging a report that accuses him of stealing N432 billion.
El-Rufai filed the lawsuit through his lawyer, A.U. Mustapha, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, claiming the Assembly did not give him a fair chance to defend himself during the investigation.
El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, explained in a statement on Wednesday that El-Rufai approached the court to protect his rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. “Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, today to sign the affidavit supporting his fundamental rights enforcement case against the Kaduna State House of Assembly and the Kaduna State Government,” Adekeye stated.
El-Rufai’s lawsuit asks the court to declare the Assembly’s report invalid, citing a violation of his right to a fair hearing under Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution. The controversial report stems from an investigation by an ad hoc committee set up by the Assembly to probe all finances, loans, and contracts awarded under El-Rufai’s administration from May 2015 to May 2023.
On June 5, 2024, the Assembly adopted the committee’s report, which accused El-Rufai and some of his aides of misappropriating N432 billion. The Assembly recommended that the current Governor, Uba Sani, refer El-Rufai and his associates to security agencies for further investigation. This recommendation followed comments from Governor Sani, who had lamented the significant debt left by El-Rufai’s administration, describing a difficult financial situation during a town hall meeting in Kaduna.
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The report, presented by Deputy Speaker Henry Danjuma, accused El-Rufai of misusing loans and bypassing due process. It also alleged unauthorized withdrawals of large sums of money in both naira and dollars without proper records, resulting in significant financial losses for the state. “The Governor of Kaduna State between 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023 breached his Oath of Office and indulged in activities that led to unjustified debts and reckless contract awards,” the report stated.
In response to the accusations, El-Rufai’s legal team contends that the Assembly did not follow proper procedures, thus infringing on his constitutional rights. The former governor is seeking to have the report annulled and its recommendations dismissed.
The Assembly’s report also highlighted irregularities in contractor payments, alleging overpayments and payments for incomplete projects. It recommended that certain contractors should refund a total of N36.3 billion to the state government. Additionally, the report called for the temporary removal of the current Commissioner of Finance, the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, and the Executive Secretary of the State Pension Bureau to facilitate a thorough investigation.
As the case progresses, El-Rufai maintains that he was not given a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations, and he continues to seek legal redress to clear his name.