El-Rufai Sues Kaduna Assembly Over Alleged N432bn Mismanagement

Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai has taken legal action against the Kaduna State House of Assembly following allegations that N432 billion was misappropriated during his eight-year tenure, leaving the state with significant debt.

On Wednesday, El-Rufai, through his counsel Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. This legal move challenges the findings of the Kaduna Assembly Committee, which accused El-Rufai of corruption.

The allegations stem from a report by an ad hoc committee established by the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The committee was tasked with investigating the state’s finances, loans, and contracts awarded during El-Rufai’s administration. The report indicted El-Rufai and several of his appointees for alleged financial misconduct.

El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, promptly responded to the report, denouncing it as false and defamatory. “We are aware of the 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,” Adekeye stated.

In his lawsuit, El-Rufai is seeking a court declaration that the committee’s report, ratified by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, is unconstitutional. He argues that it violates his right to a fair hearing as guaranteed under Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. Consequently, he is asking the court to nullify the report.