The Kaduna State Government has issued a stern rebuttal to claims made by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai regarding projects recently commissioned by President Bola Tinubu, describing his assertions as “a litany of lies” and “a blatant distortion of the truth.”
In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the government of the state, Ibraheem Musa, the government accused El-Rufai of falsely taking credit for projects initiated and completed by the current administration of Governor Uba Sani.
The rebuttal followed a recent television interview in which El-Rufai allegedly claimed that all projects commissioned by President Tinubu during his visit to Kaduna were initiated under his administration. “The attention of the Kaduna State Government has been drawn to the bare-faced lies disseminated by the former Governor,” the statement read. “It is imperative to set the record straight.”
President Tinubu commissioned three major projects during his visit: three Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, and 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses.
The government emphasided that the vocational institutes, located in Rigachikun, Soba, and Samaru Kataf, were entirely conceived and completed under Governor Sani’s administration. “These institutes are pivotal to Governor Uba Sani’s human capital development agenda,” the statement noted, adding that they are expected to train at least 36,000 youths annually.
Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), endorsed the facilities, declaring Kaduna as “the hub of skills development in Nigeria.” According to the statement, Bugaje affirmed that “no polytechnic or university of technology in the country matches the facilities and modern equipment found in these institutes.”
The government also clarified that the 100 CNG buses were a new initiative under Governor Sani, aimed at easing transportation challenges following fuel subsidy removal.
Workers, retirees, and students will enjoy free rides for six months before transitioning to subsidized fares. Regarding the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, the statement revealed that the project was originally conceived during the tenure of former Governor Namadi Sambo but remained incomplete for years.
“Upon assuming office, Governor Uba Sani met the hospital at just 53% completion,” the statement said. “The structure had no medical equipment, despite the huge sums allegedly spent. It had become a symbol of waste and mismanagement.” Vice President Namadi Sambo reportedly acknowledged at the commissioning that three successive administrations, including El-Rufai’s, had failed to complete the hospital.
The statement concluded with a sharp rebuke of El-Rufai’s claims, insisting that “no amount of revisionism can rewrite the truth.” “Governor Uba Sani has succeeded where others faltered,” it declared. “The Kaduna State Government remains committed to good governance and will not be distracted by misinformation or political bitterness.” Efforts to reach El-Rufai for a response were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
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