The Kaduna State House of Assembly has established a committee to probe financial transactions, loans, grants and projects under the eight-year tenure of immediate past Governor Nasir El-Rufai, from 2015 to 2023.
Last month, March 2024, current Kaduna State’s Governor Uba Sani revealed he inherited a huge debt burden of $587 million and N85 billion from his predecessor.
In backing the Motion originated by Hon. Yusuf Mugu, the last Speaker, Hon. Yusuf Zailani, alleged that the House under him denied approval of some of the loans, but El-Rufai still found his way.
“I suffered a lot in order not to give approval for the loan to be collected ($350m World Bank loan), even the then deputy Speaker Isaac Zankhai was against me because I disagreed with the loan to be collected. I told the then-governor to look at the number of loans we had at hand, and he didn’t listen to me”, Zailani said.
The 13-member committee came into force on Tuesday at a special session of the House.
Moving the motion on matters of public importance, Hon. Yusuf Mugu, representing the Kaura Constituency, asked the House to investigate the loans taken by the former Governor and how the funds were used.
Mugu said: “There have been uncompleted comments and assassinations of character on the leadership of the state, which the assembly cannot sit and watch.
“That is why I came up with this motion that the Speaker constitute a committee to investigate the allegations and negative comments on them.
“This is the only way the state can rekindle its confidence in its development partners, collaborators, and also those who give us loans and grants.
“Failure to do this will push the indicators of the state to a situation whereby nobody will want to do business with us.”
The House presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Yusuf Liman PDP, adopted the Motion.
The House resolved to invite the Speakers of the 8th and 9th assemblies and all other relevant stakeholders and agencies to answer questions regarding the issues at stake.
The lawmakers also requested a copy of the handover notes to Governor Uba Sani so as to guide the committee on the financial status of the state.
