Tag: El-Rufa'i

Alleged Money Laundering/Theft: Court denies el-Rufai’s aide Sa’idu bail; sends him back to prison 

Aminu Imam
Court on ex CoS Sa’idu

The Kaduna State High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of Alhaji Bashir Sa’idu, former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to tomorrow, Thursday.  Sa’idu, who is also the former Commissioner for Finance in the el-Rufai administration, has been remanded in custody.  He faces 10 charges related to alleged money laundering, embezzlement and theft. The charges, brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accuse Sa’idu of selling $45 million in state funds at an undervalued rate, resulting in a loss of ₦3.96 billion to…

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Kaduna: Court denies el-Rufa’i’s ex-aide, Jimi Lawal bail in money-laundering case

Aminu Imam
Court denies Jimi Lawal bail

A Kaduna State High Court has denied bail to Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, the former Chief of Staff to Nasir el-Rufa’i, the immediate-past governor of the State, in a money-laundering case filed against him. The court delivered its ruling yesterday, refusing the bail application principally on the grounds  that a formal charge had been filed at the Kaduna State High Court II against Sa’idu. According to the Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution, Samson Irimiya, “The bail application ruling was delivered refusing the bail application principally on the grounds that since…

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SDP rules out alliance with Atiku, el-Rufa’i for 2027 presidency

Aminu Imam
SDP rules out alliance

National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP), Shehu Gabam, has dismissed speculations of a political alliance with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, and the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, ahead of the 2027 elections. Gabam, who made this known during an appearance on a television programme at the weekend, stated that the SDP’s priority is strengthening its structures and offering Nigerians credible alternatives. According to him, “There’s no alliance with anyone. As the chairman of the party,…

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ICPC charges el-Rufai’s ex-commissioner to court over alleged money laundering

Aminu Imam
ICPC drags

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), has charged Nasir el-Rufai’s former Chief of Staff and Finance Commissioner, Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, to the Federal High Court in Kaduna. Sa’idu was charged along with one Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer ‘in the employment of the Ministry of Finance’, yesterday. According to the charge sheet,  with Reference No: FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are slammed with a 2-count charge bordering on money laundering. This is contrary to earlier claims that Sa’idu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of…

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Appointments: “2 wrongs don’t make a right” – El-Rufa’i on Tinubu’s alleged Yoruba bias

Aminu Imam
El Rufa'i on Tinubu

The immediate-past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufa’i, has reacted to United States-based Nigerian professor of journalism, Farooq Kperogi, over his allegations of ethnic favouritism in President Bola Tinubu’s appointments. Kperogi, in an article titled: ‘Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC’, accused President Tinubu of appointing Yoruba people to key positions at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL). According to him, an anonymous source claimed that a certain Bayo Ojulari is being proposed as Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPCL, after the expiration of Mele Kyari’s term. Kperogi also…

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Kaduna: Ex-Gov. el-Rufai’s Acct-Gen./Fin. Commissioner apprehended by ICPC

Aminu Imam
el Rufai's Commissioner

In a dramatic turn of events, the former Accountant m-General and Finance Commissioner during Nasir el-Rufai’s administration in Kaduna State, Shizzer Joy Nasara Bada, was yesterday arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at a Lagos airport yesterday. Bada was reportedly attempting to flee the country when ICPC operatives apprehended her, raising suspicions of a potential escape in the wake of mounting corruption allegations. Sources indicate that the ICPC had been tracking Bada’s movements after receiving intelligence suggesting that she might leave the country to…

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El-Rufa’i Lawsuit: Kaduna Govt. debunks MURICs allegations

Aminu Imam
KDSG on MURIC

The Kaduna State government has debunked a statement issued by the Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), on Saturday, August 17, 2024, describing it as unfounded, misleading, and an imagination of the authorsfalsehood. Recall that MURIC recently accused the State government (KDSG) of dragging the North back by a hundred years by pursuing political vendetta against the former governor, Nasir el-Rufa’i. The group, in a statement issued by its Executive Director, Professor Is’haq Akintola, specifically slammed KDSG for ignoring all the brilliant legal practitioners in the North to…

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Renewed Kaduna Restoration Group applauds State H’Assembly, Gov. Sani for scrapping Municipal Authorities imposed by el-Rufa’i

Aminu Imam
IMG 20240725 WA0047

The Renewed Kaduna Restoration Group (RKRG), under the Chairmanship of Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, has expressed profound gratitude to the Kaduna State House of Assembly and State Governor, Uba Sani for repealing the laws that created the Zaria Metropolitan Authority, Kaduna Capital Territory Authority (KCTA), and Kafanchan Municipal Authority. Recall that these authorities were initially established by former Governor Nasir el-Rufai, a move that RKRG and other progressive groups had challenged in the Kaduna State High Court of Justice. In a statement marking the first anniversary of Governor Uba…

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2027: “Osinbajo, Amaechi, el-Rufa’i must bury presidential ambition” Ex-APCChieftain

Aminu Imam
Ex APC Chieftain Lukman

A former national vice chairman (North-West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has described former Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo and the likes of former Kaduna State governor , Nasir el-Rufa’i as political orphans. Lukman, who spoke of a proposed coalition among top political bigwigs in the country, listed el-Rufa’i, Osinbajo, former Minister of the Interior of Nigeria Ra’uf Aregbesola, former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, among others seeking to occupy the nations top political seat via merger.…

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Kaduna: Gov. Sani reinstates monarch sacked by el-Rufai

Aminu Imam
Uba Sani reinstates

Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, has reinstated the paramount ruler of Piriga in Lere local government area of the State, Chief Jonathan Zamuna, describing the traditional institution as a stabilising force in the State and the country in general. Recall that Chief Jonathan Zamuna, was dethroned by the immediate-past Governor of the State, Nasir el-Rufai on May 22, 2023, a few days before the expiration of the Governors second term tenure. Annoying the reinstatement of the traditional ruler yesterday, during a meeting with the State Council of Chiefs, Governor Sani…

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