El-Rufai Challenges Kaduna Assembly’s N432bn Probe Report in Court

In a dramatic legal escalation, former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai, has taken the Kaduna State House of Assembly to court over its damning probe report accusing him of financial misconduct totaling N432 billion during his tenure.

El-Rufai filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, challenging the integrity of the House Committee’s investigation. His legal team, led by Abdulhakeem Mustapha, SAN, argued that the former governor was denied a fair hearing before the committee, which concluded he was involved in money laundering and other financial infractions.

The probe, initiated in April by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, focused on loans, financial transactions, contractual liabilities, and related matters during El-Rufai’s tenure from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023. The assembly’s resolution to investigate was formalized during its 150th sitting on April 16, 2024.

In response to the allegations, El-Rufai’s legal team contends that the assembly’s proceedings were conducted without adequate adherence to due process, denying their client an opportunity to adequately respond to the accusations leveled against him.

The lawsuit seeks to nullify the findings of the House Committee and prevent any further actions based on its report, which could potentially impact El-Rufai’s political future and public standing.

As the legal battle unfolds, it casts a shadow over Kaduna’s political landscape, raising questions about transparency in governance and the rights of public officials to fair judicial processes.

The Federal High Court in Kaduna has yet to set a date for the initial hearing of El-Rufai’s suit, leaving both sides in suspense as they await the next legal maneuver in this high-stakes confrontation.