Yusuf Zailani, a former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, has rejected claims that the ninth Assembly gave approval for the $350 million World Bank loan secured by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Reports from NewsNow indicate that Yusuf Liman, the current Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, established a 13-member fact-finding committee on Tuesday. The committee is tasked with investigating all financial matters, loans, contract projects, and other spending initiated by the previous administration between 2015 and 2023.
Following a request made by Mugu Yusuf, the representative of the Kauru Constituency, the House decided to probe all loans obtained during El-Rufai’s tenure, leading to the formation of the committee.
In a video shared by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications to the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mal. Suraj Bamalli, Zailani denied claims that the loan was approved under his leadership. Zailani expressed, “My intention was never to approve loans. Some of my colleagues, including 6 current members of this respected chamber, urged me to approve the loans, but I insisted on understanding the loan portfolio first.”
Additionally, the State Assembly has instructed the committee to summon key individuals such as former Speakers of the 8th and 9th Assemblies, finance commissioners, former Managing Directors of Kaduna markets, and budget and planning commissioners. The committee’s scope includes investigating all financial transactions, loans, and contracts awarded during El-Rufai’s administration.