Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani is converting local government councils funds into dollars to buy properties in South Africa, United Kingdom and Seychelles, his predecessor Nasir El-Rufai has alleged.
El-Rufai made the allegations in an interview with Freedom Radio Kaduna on Monday. He also accused the governor of collecting 40 percent kickbacks from contractors.
Tbe former governor recently defected from APC to SDP.
He claimed that he did not interfere with local government funds during his tenure between 2015 and 2023.
El-Rufai said, “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.
Accusing Uba Sani of diverting LG funds, he said, “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.
The former governor denied ever receiving bribes from contractors and challenged anyone with evidence to come forward.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has accused El-Rufai’s administration of stealing N430 billion during his eight year tenure.
“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 said.
However, 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 said.
In his reaction, Senator Shehu Sani, has challenged El-Rufai to provide concrete evidence that Governor Sani diverted local government funds.
There is no immediate comments from Kaduna State government over this story.
