El-Rufai’s former officials slam corruption claims as political witch-hunt

Former members of the Kaduna State Executive Council (2015-2023) have dismissed allegations of corruption against them, calling it a politically motivated smear campaign by the Uba Sani-led administration.

In a statement made available to The Guardian, the ex-officials once again rejected the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s report, which claims N423bn went missing under Nasir El-Rufai’s leadership. They argue that the accusations are fabricated and being recycled for political gain.

The House of Assembly’s report, first released in June 2024, resurfaced this week, with some media outlets treating it as “breaking news.” The former officials insist they debunked these claims in June and July 2024, proving that the allegations lack credibility.

They contend that many of the loans listed in the report were not drawn under their administration or were disbursed after their tenure ended. Some loans, they say, were double-counted, and even a railway loan that was never contracted was included in the accusations.

“Only those inclined to fiction can believe that 40% of Kaduna’s earnings over eight years simply vanished,” the statement read.

The former officials also accused Governor Uba Sani’s administration of taking credit for El-Rufai-era projects while falsely claiming financial mismanagement.

They highlighted that several key projects—including schools built under AGILE funding, World Bank CARES infrastructure projects, and RAAMP-funded roads—were initiated under El-Rufai but are now being presented as Sani’s achievements.

Beyond the corruption allegations, the former officials claim that the Uba Sani government is also orchestrating a crackdown on El-Rufai’s allies.

They cited the case of Bashir Saidu, who was allegedly abducted in Kaduna on December 31, 2024, and remains in prison despite being granted bail. Similarly, Jimi Lawal is said to have been detained unlawfully even after meeting bail conditions.

Additionally, the government has allegedly used administrative measures to block their release, including suspending land verification services to prevent them from securing bail.

The former officials argue that the real motive behind the allegations is to damage El-Rufai’s political prospects. They claim that since the N423bn missing funds claim is unproven, the government is pursuing media propaganda and pushing criminal charges against former officials to create the illusion of wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Uba Sani continues to publicly insist that he has no rift with El-Rufai, a claim the former officials call dishonest, given his administration’s actions.

The statement concluded by highlighting El-Rufai’s achievements, including Kaduna’s IGR growth from N13bn in 2015 to N58bn in 2022, public service reforms, and infrastructure projects.

“We will not be silenced. We will continue to defend our legacy and expose this smokescreen of deceit,” the former officials declared.