Kaduna House Begins Probe Of Ex-Gov El-Rufai’s Tenure

Sequel to the setting up of a probe committee by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate financial dealings of the state under the administration of former Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, the committee has swung into action and will scrutinise transactions from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023.

The House of Assembly, however, set a deadline for the submission of documents, saying “30 copies of the memo/documents should reach the office of the Clerk to the Legislature on or before Thursday, 25th April, 2024 by 10:00 am.”

This was contained in a formal communication by Barr. Sakinatu Hassan Idris, Clerk to the Legislature, to the state Commissioner of Finance outlining the scope of the probe.

The probe will focus on the El-Rufai loans, financial transactions, contractual liabilities, and other relevant matters.

“The Kaduna State House of Assembly at its One Hundred and Fiftieth (150th) Sitting on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, resolved and constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities & Other Related Matters of The Government of Kaduna State from 29th May, 2015 to 29 May, 2023,” the letter stated.

The committee’s mandate, as per the Assembly’s Standing Orders and Rules of 2019 and Sections 103, 128, and 129 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended), includes a comprehensive review of the state’s financial practices.

The Assembly’s letter, referenced LEG/S.382/VOL.II/615, demanded extensive documentation from the Commissioner.

The requested documents include:

i. Total Loans: Details from May 2015 to May 2023 including approvals by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, accounts into which the loans were lodged, and drawn as recorded by the Project Finance Management Unit (PFMU) & Debt Management Office (DMO).

ii. Executive Minutes and Resolutions: Relevant State Executive Council minutes of meetings, council’s extracts, and resolutions regarding the loans.

iii. Contractual Payments: Records of payments and outstanding liabilities to contractors for the period from May 2015 to May 2023.

iv. Salary Reports: Reports of salaries paid to staff from 2016 to 2022.

v. KADRIS Reports: Dloyd Reports on KADRIS from 2015 to 2023.

vi. Loan Terms and Conditions: Details on the terms, purpose, and conditions of those loans.

vii. Appropriation Records: Appropriation items related to the loans.

viii. Payments to Contractors: All records of payments made to all contractors engaged by the state government and relevant documents from May 2015 to May 2023, including bank statements.

ix. Payment Modalities: Modalities for payments of contracts.

x. Government Property Sales: Documents of all payments made to the contractors, sales of government houses/properties, accounts the proceeds were lodged, and how the money was expended.

The Clerk emphasized the urgency and importance of compliance with this request, stating, “Accordingly, I am directed to request you to forward to the Ad-Hoc Committee Memorandum accompanied with the underlisted documents and all other documents you consider relevant to the assignment of the Committee.”

The Kaduna State House of Assembly has set a deadline for the submission of these documents. “30 copies of the memo/documents should reach the office of the Clerk to the Legislature on or before Thursday, 25th April, 2