Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused his successor, Uba Sani, of embezzling local government funds to purchase properties in Seychelles, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Speaking in an interview with Freedom Radio, Kaduna, over the weekend, El-Rufai alleged that Sani converts local government allocations into dollars before using them to acquire real estate abroad. He insisted that during his tenure, he never tampered with local government funds.
“When I was governor, I never took a kobo from local government allocations. We gave them their funds to operate after setting aside SUBEB, primary healthcare, and other allocations,” El-Rufai stated.
He claimed to have records proving the mismanagement of funds under the current administration, alleging that no local government in Kaduna State currently receives more than N50 million per month due to siphoning.
“They thought we didn’t know, but we have all the records. Once the allocation comes in, they divert it, exchange it for dollars, and use it to buy properties in Seychelles, South Africa, London, and elsewhere,” he said.
El-Rufai also accused Governor Sani of demanding a 40% kickback before awarding contracts.
“Uba takes contract documents to Abuja, offers them to contractors, and collects 40% in kickbacks. We know everything happening in the system,” he alleged.
APC Fires Back at El-Rufai, Calls His Criticism “Bitterness”
In response, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed El-Rufai’s allegations, attributing his criticism to frustration over his failed attempt to secure a ministerial appointment.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC described El-Rufai’s recent remarks as a “smokescreen” to hide his personal grievances.
“El-Rufai stands diminished as the epitome of a self-interested politician, blinded by ego, driven by untamed emotion, and brimming with a vengeful desire to collapse the system,” the statement read.
The APC also criticized El-Rufai’s defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), questioning how the party aligns with the progressive values he claims to uphold.
“Exactly how is the SDP, his new political abode, an ideological safe haven?” Morka asked.
The party defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration, highlighting key reforms such as fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and increased foreign investments.
“El-Rufai’s claim that Tinubu has failed is both outrageous and baseless. Across all sectors, Nigerians are witnessing tangible progress,” APC stated.
The ruling party urged El-Rufai to focus on constructive opposition rather than personal attacks, advising him to accept his political reality.
“El-Rufai is free to choose his political affiliation, but he should quit sulking, get a grip, and salvage some respectability,” the statement concluded.
