Immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday, dragged the Kaduna State House of Assembly before the Federal High Court, over the legislature’s claim that N432 billion was siphoned during his eight-year administration, leaving the state with huge debt liabilities.
El-Rufai filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna against the state House of Assembly.
The former governor, through his counsel, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is challenging the report of the Assembly’s Committee which indicted him of alleged corruption.
The ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans and contracts awarded under Nasir El-Rufai had submitted its report, which indicted the ex-governor and some of his appointees.
But the former governor, in a statement by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, dismissed the report, describing it as false 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 would 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,” the statement had read.
El-Rufai in his suit is asking the court to declare that by the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigation of Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities and Other Related Matters of the Government of Kaduna State from 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023, as ratified by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, is unconstitutional and therefore null and void for violating his right to fair hearing as guaranteed under the Constitution.
