In what seems like spilling the beans, Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has disclosed that the immediate past administration of Gov. Nasir El-Rufai left a massive debt load of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities.
He bemoaned the fact that the enormous debt had severely reduced the state’s allocation from the Federation Account.
Speaking at a town hall gathering on Saturday, the governor gave his stewardship and stated that he was still committed to guiding Kaduna towards success with the limited resources at his disposal.
Traditional leaders and religious authorities, legislators, organised labor members, representatives of civil society organisations, young people, and women’s groups were present at the meeting, Persecondnews reports.
Former Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero, former Chief of Staff General Martin-Luther Agwai, members of the Kaduna State Executive Council, and members of the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Yusuf Liman, were also in attendance.
Along with his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, Gov. Sani gave the audience an overview of the state’s revenue structure and the debt his predecessor had left behind thereby grinding the state.
The governor also discussed his administration’s top priorities, which include housing, healthcare, education, security, and assistance for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.
Shizzer Bada, the Commissioner of Finance, gave a presentation on the state’s share of the federal allocation and how much is taken out to pay down the massive debt incurred during the previous administration.
Muktar Ahmed, his colleague in Budget and Planning, discussed the various contractual obligations arising from the fact that contractors hired by the previous government terminated projects after receiving payment.
Sani, however, promised the people that he would maintain a close watch on guiding the state towards progress and sustainable development despite the enormous debt load he inherited and the numerous contractual obligations.
Persecondnews reports that political observers said the latest revelation might be pointing to an estranged relationship between Gov. Sani and El-Rufai.
Lately, El-Rufai has reportedly been hobnobbing with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) chieftains ahead of the 2027 polls.
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