Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
In order to clear his hard earned political reputation built over the years, former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has dragged the Kaduna State House of Assembly before the Federal High Court in the state for alleged defamation of character.
Recall that the ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans and contracts awarded under Nasir El-Rufai submitted its report to governor Uba Sani in which it indicted the former governor and some of his appointees.
But El-Rufai, in a swift reaction by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, faulted the report, describing it as false and scandalous.
El-Rufai is demanding a public apology from the lawmakers for a report they published, which he claims defamed him and his cabinet.
Through his counsel, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), El-Rufai challenged the report of the Kaduna Assembly Committee which indicted El-Rufai for alleged corruption.
El-Rufai’s legal team argued that the report is both false and malicious, designed to tarnish his reputation and discredit his administration’s achievements.
The legal team maintained that the allegations have caused significant harm to his personal and professional standing.
In the suit, El-Rufai asked the court to declare that by the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigation of Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities and Other Related Matters of the Government of Kaduna State from 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023, as ratified by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, is unconstitutional and therefore null and void for violating his right to fair hearing as guaranteed under the Constitution.
“We are aware of news that the Kaduna State House of Assembly has adopted the report of the ad hoc committee it asked to probe the El-Rufai government.
“We have not been provided with a copy of the report, to which we would respond robustly whenever we obtain it.
“We affirm the integrity of the El-Rufai government and dismiss the scandalous claims being aired as the report of the committee,” Adekeye added.