Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has taken action against the state assembly after lawmakers indicted him in their probe report.
El-Rufai filed a lawsuit against the Kaduna State House of Assembly over claims that his administration misappropriated ₦432 billion, leaving the state burdened with debt. This development has further heightened political tension in the state.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Kaduna by his attorney Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, challenges the Assembly Committee’s report, which accused El-Rufai of corruption.
El-Rufai seeks a court declaration to nullify the report, arguing he was denied a fair hearing concerning the allegations.
The lawsuit names the Kaduna State House of Assembly and the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice as respondents.
In June, the state Assembly’s ad hoc committee presented its findings on the financial activities and loan acquisitions during El-Rufai’s administration. The committee, led by Henry Zacharia, reported that numerous loans were not utilized for their intended purposes, and due process was often bypassed.
Assembly Speaker Yusuf Liman asserted that the El-Rufai administration misappropriated ₦423 billion, resulting in significant liabilities for the state. Consequently, the committee recommended that El-Rufai and some of his cabinet members be investigated and prosecuted by relevant authorities for alleged misconduct, misappropriation of funds, and money laundering.
Additionally, they called for the immediate suspension of Shizer Badda, the Commissioner of Finance, who held the same position during El-Rufai’s tenure.
