As former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el Rufa’i, has today honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), activist and one-time Senator representing Kaduna-Central, Shehu Sani, have asked the former governor to explain to the people of the state how over 400 billions of Naira was spent without any visible project.
Speaking on a television programme, the lawmaker said el-Rufa’i should also account for $350m loan he took while in power. According to him, the level of repression under him in Kaduna was such that has never been witnessed in the state.
He disclosed that since the end of his tenure, the people of Kaduna made up of moslems and Christan have been living in peace with one another. He said: ”As a governor of Kaduna he left a terrible legacy of corruption,intolerance of opposition, violation of human rights and disdain for rule of law which he violated with impunity”.
On the level of corruption, he referred to the result of the forensic audit carried out by the state house of Assembly which revealed that over ₦400billion was looted. Besides, he also claimed the former governor borrowed $350 million dollars without any proof of where the money was spent.
He wondered why the former governor was crying foul over plan to arrest him, saying: ”After all, he is not the first governor in Nigeria to be arrested. From the time of Balarabe Musa we have never had a governor who committed so much atrocity, as he ruled Kaduna with contempt and treated Christains in the state with disdain”.
Sani also cited repression of the media and imprisonment of several journalists who dared to criticise his misrule, while lecturers and pensioners who demanded payment of their entitlements were also imprisoned. He also cited contempt for the rule of law exhibited by the governor as he disobeyed court rulings adding that anybody in doubt about the atrocities he commited should read the report of the state’s House of Assembly.
The activist wondered if the media and those who are promoting and defending the former governor ”would want such a person to rule their state”. According to him, “He keep on attacking Ribadu; also fighting his brothers and children when at his age he should be content with what God has done for him in life”.
On the wire-tapping of the phones of National Security Adviser, he said if Rufa’is claim is true, it also means that the INEC and other security agencies are not safe and could be hacked, adding that: ”In all his years in government and politics he has used ethnicity, religion to rule and remain relevant. We thank God that since he left Kaduna seat of power, the people have lived in peace with each other”.
