El-Rufai Leaves N80bn Domestic Debt And $577m Foreign Debt For Successor

El-Rufai has disclosed that he left N80bn domestic debt and $577m foreign debt for his successor.

Glamtush reports that the immediate-past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, said he left Kaduna State better than he met it in 2015, as he initiated legacies projects that empowered the citizens.

This online newspaper understands that El-Rufai said he left N5bn and $2.05m in the state treasury.

He, however, disclosed that he also left a domestic debt of N80.60bn and a foreign debt of $577.32m debt for the new administration.

“Kaduna State has receivables for reimbursements of infrastructure and security spending from the Federal Government, amounting to about N41bn, that will be paid to the state in due course.

“This does not include the sums due to the state as share of the accumulated stamp duties receipts, estimated at over N100bn, that the incoming government will certainly receive before the end of this year.

“I am therefore optimistic that the incoming government will, in due course, be in a position to settle all inherited liabilities, complete ongoing projects and initiate new ones by the Grace of God,” El-Rufai said.

Meanwhile, Senator Uba Sani was on Monday sworn in as the new Governor of Kaduna State with a declaration that his administration would be for all citizens of the state regardless of religion, ethnic and political divide.

Shortly after being sworn in at the Murtala Square, Kaduna alongside his deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, by the state Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Mu’Azu, the governor, in his inaugural speech, renamed the popular “Rabah Road” where the late Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of the defunct Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, resided as ‘Nasir El-Rufai Road.’

The governor, reading from prepared speech titled, ‘Hope renewed; consolidation assured,’ noted that he assumed office as the state’s new helmsman, “well prepared, very determined and imbued with a clear vision for the continued progress” for the state.

He added that his administration would be guided by the principles of inclusiveness, fairness, justice and equity.

He also said under his watch, there would be nothing as settler/indigene dichotomy in Kaduna State, because “we are all citizens of Kaduna State with equal rights, privileges, and responsibilities.”

The governor said, “My government will be government of all. Whether you voted for me or not, I have a responsibility towards you. I will be fair to all.”

He advised his successor to assemble a competent team that would help him run the affairs of the state effectively.