Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has issued a bold challenge to former governors in the state, urging them to swear on the holy Qur’an that they did not embezzle public funds to construct grand houses in Kaduna and Dubai.
El-Rufai’s challenge came as a response to criticisms from the opposition regarding his policies.
During a valedictory media chat on the Hausa service of the Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC), El-Rufai alleged that one of the former governors built a mansion on Jabi Road using funds intended for public development.
He firmly stated, “Let the past governors face the people of Kaduna State and swear on the Holy Qur’an that they never stole from the government coffers. I can swear that I never stole a kobo from the government coffers.”
He expressed satisfaction with the ongoing infrastructure projects in the state, emphasising the commitment to quality and durability.
“It is not the type of roads they did in the past that, after two rainy seasons, the roads will spoil. These works we are doing, we are doing them with quality.
“Am happy with what I have seen, but there is still more to be done, because to us, we want people to enter Kaduna and see no untarred road anywhere.
“We want to see tarred road in every community of Kaduna with solar street lights, same for Kafanchan, Zaria and our local government areas. That was our wish, but the difficult circumstance our government met, we couldn’t do everything we planned to do, until we had to borrow before we could do what we did.
“We didn’t collect this loan and run away to Dubai to buy houses or go to Jabi Road to build a mansion so that we can sleep well, that is not how we are.
“I became Governor of Kaduna with only one house on Danja Road at Ungwan Sarki, now I am finishing to the glory of God, that is the only house I have.
” I didn’t build any mansion, I don’t need it. I didn’t steal anybody’s money and I am challenging everyone that governed this state to also come out and swear with Qur’an that, when they governed the state, they didn’t steal a kobo of Kaduna resource that is not their entitlement.
“I swear to God, I will do that swearing. So, I am challenging all of them. Everyone should come out and face the people of Kaduna State and tell them he didn’t steal their money. Because we know them, they are children of Santa, they are not children of Dangote; we know them from school. Where did they get money to build those mansions? What type of business were they doing? We know.
“Our of plans and antecedents are not like that. Our own understanding is that, leadership is a trust from God and to you will stand in front of God to give account of.
“As a result of that, every Naira and Kobo that we got, whether revenue or allocation from Abuja or loan, I swear by God, we have used it for the development of our people, we didn’t take and put in our pocket or take them to buy houses in Dubai, we don’t need that,” El-Rufai said.
El-Rufai advised individuals with selfish intentions of personal enrichment to refrain from entering politics.
He emphasised that politics should be reserved for those genuinely dedicated to serving the people and promoting the common good.
