NEWS
El-Rufai Rejects Kaduna Assembly’s Report As Politically Motivated
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticized the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s report on his administration, calling it a “politically motivated hatchet job.”
The Assembly had adopted the findings of its ad-hoc committee, which investigated his governance from May 2015 to May 2023.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai asserted that his administration was marked by integrity and competence throughout his eight-year tenure.
The ad-hoc committee, which examined the finances, loans, and contracts awarded during El-Rufai’s time in office, presented its report to the House on Wednesday.
Committee chairman Henry Zacharia claimed that many of the loans acquired during El-Rufai’s administration were not used for their intended purposes and that due process was often not followed in obtaining them.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Yusuf Liman, stated that the El-Rufai administration allegedly siphoned N423 billion, leaving the state with substantial liabilities.
As a result, the committee recommended that security and anti-corruption agencies investigate and prosecute El-Rufai and certain members of his cabinet for alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and money laundering.
Additionally, the committee called for the immediate suspension of the current Commissioner of Finance, Shizer Badda, who also served in the same role under El-Rufai’s administration.
Responding, El-Rufai’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, affirmed the integrity of the El-Rufai administration and dismissed the committee’s claims as “scandalous.”
He said, “Malam Nasir El-Rufai is immensely proud of his record of governance and the legacy he left in Kaduna State. This record of consistently high performance in public and private office cannot be altered by any malicious effort to use the auspices of a state legislature for defamation and undeserved smears.
“Many of the officials who served in the El-Rufai government appeared before the ad-hoc committee because of their confidence in the quality of their service and the rectitude which they served Kaduna State.
“They were under no illusion that they were participating in a fair process. It was obvious that the ad hoc committee was merely going through the motions of an inquiry just to give some gloss to predetermined conclusions.
“It is sad to see such a shameful departure from any notion of decency and fairness by a state legislature. We dismiss with contempt the claims being peddled in connection with the report.
“Malam El-Rufai wishes to assure discerning Nigerians that he has served Kaduna State with integrity and to the best of his capacity, assisted by a hardworking and patriotic team. He complied with all extant laws in all his activities while he was the governor. This jaundiced probe should be disregarded as the politically motivated hatchet job it is.”
President Bola Tinubu is currently hosting the 65th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja.
The meeting, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, is attended by dignitaries including the Diplomatic Corps.
Key agenda items include discussions on financing the standby force against terrorism and preventing unconstitutional changes of government.
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Another significant focus is maintaining the cohesion of ECOWAS, particularly as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have yet to fully reintegrate following their bans.
Olusegun Dada, Special Assistant to President Tinubu, shared footage on social media, stating, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), President of Nigeria and Chairman of @ecowas_cedeao, hosts the 65th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja.”
In a significant judicial appointment, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will officially swear in 12 judges to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10 am at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.
Dr. Festus Akande, Director of Press and Information at the Supreme Court, disclosed this development in a statement on Sunday.
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Among the distinguished appointees is Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria, the daughter-in-law of the Chief Justice, adding a personal dimension to the event.
The full list of judges to be inaugurated is as follows:
– Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria (Oyo State)
– Ademuyiwa Olakunle Oyeyipo (Kwara State)
– Bamodu Odunayo Olutomi (Lagos State)
– Iheabunike Anumaenwe Godwin (Imo State)
– Odo Celestine Obinna (Enugu State)
– Hauwa Lawal Gummi (Zamfara State)
– Sarah Benjamin Inesu Avoh (Bayelsa State)
– Maryam Iye Yusuf (Kogi State)
– Buetnaan Mandy Bassi (Plateau State)
– Lesley Nkesi Belema Wike (Rivers State)
– Ibrahim Tanko Munirat (Bauchi State)
– Abdulrahman Usman (Taraba State)
This appointment follows the National Judicial Council’s recommendation on May 17, 2024, of 86 judicial officers for various federal and state courts nationwide.
Recall that these recommendations were made during the NJC’s 105th plenary meeting, which was held from May 15 to 16, 2024.
The swearing-in marks a notable step in reinforcing the judiciary and ensuring the delivery of justice across Nigeria.
The military regimes of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have severed ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and officially formed a new alliance.
Niger’s ruling general announced the move during the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in Niamey on Saturday.
Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani at the summit, which saw the participation of the three nations’ leaders stated “our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS”.
The AES was established after the countries withdrew from ECOWAS earlier this year.
In September, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso signed a mutual defense pact, marking a significant shift in the region’s political landscape.
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso left ECOWAS, citing accusations of Paris manipulating the bloc and insufficient support for anti-jihadist efforts.
“The AES is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism,” Tiani stated on Saturday, highlighting ECOWAS’s “conspicuous lack of involvement in this fight.”
The exit marks a shift away from their former colonial ruler, France, with Tiani advocating for a new bloc that is a “community far removed from the stranglehold of foreign powers.”
All three nations have expelled French anti-jihadist troops, turning instead to their “sincere partners” — Russia, Turkey, and Iran.
Facing deadly jihadist violence, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso will focus on “the fight against terrorism” and the “consolidation of cooperation” during Saturday’s agenda, according to the Burkinabe presidency.
ECOWAS is set to hold a summit of its heads of state in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Sunday, where relations with the AES is anticipaed to be a key topic.
After multiple bilateral meetings, the three Sahelian leaders are convening for the first time since seizing power through coups between 2020 and 2023.
In mid-May, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger met in Niamey to draft a text establishing the confederation, which the heads of state are set to adopt at Saturday’s summit.
Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani first received Burkinabe counterpart Ibrahim Traore in the capital on Friday, followed by Malian Colonel Assimi Goita on Saturday.
“Don’t expect many announcements; this is primarily a political event,” remarked Gilles Yabi, founder of the West African think tank Wathi. “The goal is to demonstrate that this is a serious project with three dedicated heads of state showing their solidarity.”
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