…Says he’s ready to swear in Holy Qur’an
The immediate-past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufa’i, has insisted that he did not embezzle public funds while in office, saying he is ready to swear with Qur’an.
The former governor said he joined politics solely to serve the people, not to seek money or steal public funds.
El-Rufa’i, who made this statement during a Hausa programme aired on a radio station in Kaduna yesterday, stressed that he was content with what he had even before becoming governor.
Recall that the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted el-Rufa’i’s administration for allegedly misappropriating over N423 billion during his eight-year tenure. However, the ex-governor and his allies have denied the allegations, claiming they are being witch-hunted by the Assembly and the state government.
The governor added that he is prepared to swear on the Holy Quran, whenever former state governors and current leaders do the same, to affirm that they never misappropriated public funds.
According to him, “I was quiet to see how things would turn out, but for me; I always ask God to help me in whatever I do in life, because, as a human being, I always try not to do anything wrong or betray the people’s trust.
He further said, “I always say that whenever the former governors of Kaduna State and other leaders decide to take an oath swearing with the Quran that they never took people’s money, I’m also ready to swear. This is because I know that I didn’t go into public service to steal or take people’s money. I joined politics only to serve the people of Kaduna State; I didn’t come to look for money, because I give glory to God that I’m content with what I had even before becoming governor. Yet, we were accused of misappropriation of funds during our tenure without being given a specific area where the money went missing or who took it.
“Yet they are going after my allies by inviting them to the ICPC and EFCC with the intention of tarnishing their names. As for me, I had already prayed two Raka’at on Friday night, leaving everything to God, seeking His judgment. This is why I’m not saying much about the issue”.
