Following the allegation of mismanagement of the sum of N432bn leveled against his administration, former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has sued the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly claimed that the former governor’s eight-year administration allegedly siphoned ₦432bn 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 on Wednesday.
The suit, filed by the ex-governor’s lawyer Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, challenged the report of the Kaduna Assembly Committee which indicted El-Rufai for alleged corruption.
In the suit, El-Rufai asked the court to declare the report of the Assembly probe as null and void having not been given the opportunity of fair hearing over the allegations levelled against him and his administration by the committee.
Also joined in the suit as respondents is the Kaduna State House of Assembly and state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice.
It will be recalled that the ad hoc committee set up by the state Assembly to investigate all finances, loans and contracts awarded under the El-Rufai administration submitted its report to the House.
The chairman of the ad hoc committee, Henry Zacharia, said most of the loans obtained under the El-Rufai’s administration were not used for the purpose for which they were obtained, while in some cases, due process was not followed in securing the loans.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Yusuf Liman, also said that a total ₦423 billion was allegedly siphoned by the El-Rufai’s administration leaving the state with huge liabilities.
The committee, therefore, recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai, and some members of his cabinet by security and anti-corruption agencies for alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering.
The committee also recommended the immediate suspension of the Commissioner of Finance, Shizer Badda, who also served in the same capacity under El-Rufai’s administration.
