By our Reporter
There seems to be peace of the graveyard in Kaduna, as things are gradually falling apart between the state former governor, Nasir El-Rufai and his successor and political godson, Gov. Uba Sani.
The perceived frosty relationship has dovetailed into accusations from both, with the governor’s recent outcry that the debt burden he inherited from the past El-Rufai’s administration has made the state not to be able to pay salaries
Sani, who explained why he has not been able to pay workers’ their March salaries, revealed that his administration inherited a debt burden of N85 billion, 587 million dollars and 115 contractual liabilities from the previous administration.
The governor made disclosure at the weekend, while addressing a Town Hall meeting in Kaduna.
He said, though he has not borrowed a single kobo since he came into office about 10 months ago, the huge debt burden was eating deep into the federal allocation accruing to the state.
The governor added that of the N10 billion that was allocated to the state in March, N7 billion was deducted at source for debt repayment.
Governor Sani lamented that due to the rise in the exchange rate, Kaduna state was now paying back almost triple of what was borrowed by the previous administration of Nasir El-Rufai.
He explained further that following the deduction of N7 billion to service the state’s debt in the month of March, the state was left with N3 billion, which was not enough to pay salary, as the state’s monthly salary bill stands at N5.2 billion.
He, however assured that in spite of the debt, his administration remained resolute in steering Kaduna state towards progress and sustainable development.
“Despite the huge debt burden of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities we sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna state towards progress and sustainable development.
“We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and we are sharpening our focus accordingly.
“It gladdened my heart to inform you that despite the huge inherited debt on the state, till date, we have not borrowed a single kobo.
“The Key priority areas of our government include safety and security, housing, education, healthcare and support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
“We are also prioritising inclusive development by investing in human capital, stimulating the economy, and providing affordable housing,” he said.
The governor said that in spite of the numerous challenges confronting the state, collective efforts were essential for Kaduna state’s progress.
“We aspire to make rural living enjoyable and we want to transform Kaduna into a premier business hub; our ultimate goal is to rebuild trust and foster peace and harmony.”
But in a swift reaction to Governor Sani’s remark, the son of the former governor, Bashir El-Rufai, described the governor as incompetent, adding that he lacks the capacity to administer the state.
Bashir, who is a member of the federal House of Representatives, in series of tweets on X said the governor was only trying to cover his administration’s incompetence.
El-Rufai claimed that the governor had “deflected” from his responsibilities and abandoned his duty as governor.
“These guys have realised that they are wholly incompetent and the only way to mask the nonsense is to deflect.
“From a governor who is always sleeping in Abuja to a litany of incompetent aides who were only rewarded for foolish political reasons,” he said.