El-Rufai sues Kaduna government, House of Asembly over allegation of money laundering

Former governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has sued the government of his successor, Governor Uba Sani, and the state’s House of Assembly over the Report of the Assembly’s 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.

NewsWireNGR had earlier reported that the ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans and contracts awarded under the former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in its submitted said that a total N423 billion was siphoned by the El-Rufai’s administration while leaving the state with huge liabilities.

The committee, therefore, recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai, some other indicted members of his cabinet by security and anti-corruption agencies for abuse of office through the award of contracts without due process, diversion of public funds and money laundering as well as plaguing Kaduna State into heavy debt.

Meanwhile, a press statement by Muyiwa Adekeye, the Media Adviser to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday disclosed that the ex-Kaduna governor “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.

His lawyer, AU Mustapha SAN, said that El-Rufai approached the court as a Nigerian citizen who is entitled to be given a fair hearing before his rights can be determined by a quasi-judicial or investigative body or courts in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

El-Rufai also asked 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.