N423bn theft: Court hears El-Rufai’s suit against Kaduna Assembly July 17

The Federal High Court in Kaduna has fixed July 17 to hear the fundamental rights suit filed by ex-governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the state House of Assembly and others.

El-Rufai, is in the suit, praying the court to quash a report of the Assembly indicting him of N423bn theft.

In the suit through his lawyer, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, El-Rufai argued that the Assembly breached his right to a fair hearing by not inviting him in the course of the probe.

He is urging the court to declare the report of the Assembly’s ad hoc committee indicting it null and void.

When the case came up in court on Monday commencement,  counsel for the state Assembly,  Sani Katu (SAN), said he was in the process of filing a preliminary objection, on Katu said the Assembly will be challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear El-Rufai’s suit.

Sani, therefore, requested an extension of time to enable him to file all the necessary applications.

The Kaduna State Attorney General, Sule Shauaibu (SAN), who is a defendant in the case, made a similar application.

El-Rufai’s lawyer, Sule Umoru, did not oppose the applications for an extension of time.

Consequently, Justice R.M. Aikawa adjourned the case till July 17 for hearing.

The ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans, and contracts awarded under El-Rufai had on June 5, 2024, indicting the ex-governor and some of his appointees of siphoning N423bn state funds.

The Assembly, while adopting the report of the 13-man panel, asked the incumbent Governor, Uba Sani, to refer El-Rufai, his Commissioner of Finance, and other aides to relevant security agencies for investigation.

The Assembly had in April set up the 13-man panel, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Henry  Danjuma, to probe El-Rufai’s administration.

The probe by the  Assembly came weeks after the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, lamented that El-Rufai left him a huge debt profile.

Sani, who spoke during a town hall meeting in Kaduna, said he inherited a lean treasury, adding that he could not pay workers’ salaries.

Sani said, “Despite the huge debt burden of $587m, N85bn, and 115 Contractual Liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.”