Former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused his successor, Senator Uba Sani, of diverting local government (LG) funds to purchase properties in Seychelles, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
El-Rufai, who recently defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made the allegations in an interview with Freedom Radio Kaduna, yesterday. He claimed that Sani converted local government allocations into dollars to acquire the foreign properties.
He said that this was a departure from what transpired during his tenure when he did not interfere with local government funds.
“When I was governor, I never took a kobo from local government funds. We gave them their allocations to operate. Once we set aside funds for SUBEB, primary healthcare, and other necessary deductions, we handed over the remaining money. Both the PDP and APC chairmen are alive to testify,” he said.
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El-Rufai alleged that the current administration was embezzling local government funds, adding that the federal government agencies were overlooking this because the governor was allegedly carrying out the operation to pull down El-Rufai at the behest of powerful forces in the presidency.
He had earlier alleged that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu was the architect of this operation because of presidential ambitions. The NSA has, however, denied the allegation.
“As I speak, no local government in Kaduna receives more than N50 million per month. Once the allocation arrives, they siphon it, exchange it into dollars, and use it to buy properties in Seychelles, South Africa, London, and other places.
“They think that because we are silent, we are unaware of what is happening. But we know everything. We know how they divert the money and the bureau de change operators involved. Those accusing us of corruption are actually doing worse,” he added.
El-Rufai also denied ever receiving bribes from contractors and challenged anyone with evidence to come forward.
“I have never stolen a kobo from anyone. If any contractor has given me a bribe, let him come forward.
“When the ICPC invited many contractors, they testified that they had never met me. Contracts worth billions were executed without me ever meeting the contractors—I worked only through commissioners and permanent secretaries,” he stated.
Furthermore, he accused Governor Sani of collecting kickbacks before awarding contracts.
“Uba goes to Abuja with contract documents, offering them to contractors in exchange for a 40 per cent kickback. We know what is happening. They assumed that was how we ran the government, but they are wrong,” he alleged.
I won’t react to idle talks – Kaduna Gov
Efforts to obtain a response from Governor Sani on these allegations were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Calls to his Chief Press Secretary, Ibraheem Musa, did not connect, and messages remained unanswered.
However, in an earlier statement, Sani reiterated his commitment to governance, stating that his priority was serving the people of Kaduna, rather than engaging in unnecessary debates.
During an Iftar (breakfast) with Kaduna social media influencers at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Saturday, the governor said, “My focus is on serving the people of Kaduna State, who elected me. I am not bothered by baseless and idle talks that add no value to governance,” he remarked.
His comments came days after El-Rufai accused him of using security agencies to harass his loyalists. The former governor made the claim following the arrest of Jafaru Sani, who had served as Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in his administration.
Sani, however, maintained that his administration had made progress in agriculture, education, and security, particularly in areas previously plagued by insecurity.
Shehu Sani challenges El-Rufai to provide evidence
Meanwhile, a former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has challenged El-Rufai to provide concrete evidence that Governor Sani diverted local government funds.
Sani called on the former governor to release documents proving the purchase of properties in South Africa, Seychelles, and London if he wanted his allegations to be taken seriously.
Speaking with Daily Post in Abuja on Monday, the civil rights activist dismissed the claims, arguing they were an attempt to smear the governor’s reputation amid corruption allegations against El-Rufai.
“El-Rufai’s allegation is a fabrication intended to distract from the N420 billion corruption probe hanging over him like the sword of Damocles.
“We, as Kaduna indigenes, witnessed how El-Rufai plundered the state. Now that an investigation has indicted him, he should face it instead of spreading falsehoods.
“If he has evidence linking Uba Sani to the purchase of properties abroad, he should present it. Until then, his claims hold no weight.
“Instead of making baseless accusations, El-Rufai should answer for the whereabouts of N420 billion—money that could have significantly developed Kaduna State,” he said.
How the feud began
Despite El-Rufai endorsing Sani as his successor, their relationship deteriorated soon after the latter took office. The Kaduna State House of Assembly promptly launched an investigation into El-Rufai’s eight-year tenure.
Observers speculated that Governor Sani was acting on behalf of El-Rufai’s opponents in the Tinubu administration, particularly those who had opposed his failed ministerial nomination.
Their rivalry escalated last month when both figures accused each other of scheming ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Although their fallout began last year, they initially avoided direct public confrontations—until El-Rufai criticised Sani for defending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a televised interview.
What began as a policy disagreement has since evolved into a full-blown political battle, with accusations of corruption, political marginalisation, and a struggle for control of Kaduna’s political landscape.
The tension deepened when Governor Sani started reshuffling his administration, dismissing key El-Rufai loyalists, including Samuel Aruwan, the former Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs. Many interpreted these moves as an attempt to diminish El-Rufai’s lingering influence.
But the real turning point came when the Kaduna State House of Assembly launched a probe into El-Rufai’s administration over alleged financial mismanagement. The 13-member ad hoc committee examined transactions, including loans and grants received during his tenure.
In June 2024, the committee released a report accusing El-Rufai of overseeing the misappropriation of N423 billion and recommending a full investigation into his administration.
El-Rufai rejected the allegations and filed a lawsuit against the Assembly, claiming the probe was politically motivated. His former commissioners also dismissed the findings, arguing the investigation was an attempt to tarnish his legacy.
The crisis escalated further when Jafaru Sani, a former commissioner under El-Rufai, was arrested shortly after defecting from the APC to the SDP. El-Rufai described the arrest as politically motivated, accusing Sani’s government of using state security to intimidate his allies.
The SDP also alleged that the APC was targeting opposition figures to discourage further defections, raising concerns of increasing political persecution in Kaduna State.
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