The Kaduna State Government has strongly refuted claims by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the projects recently commissioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his official visit to the state were initiated by his administration.
In a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibraheem Musa, the state government described El-Rufai’s claims as “bare-faced lies” and a “blatant distortion of the truth.”
The statement, titled “El-Rufai and His Litany of Lies”, was issued in response to a recent television interview in which El-Rufai asserted that all the commissioned projects were started under his tenure. The government, however, insisted that the facts say otherwise.
“During his official visit to Kaduna State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, commissioned three major projects,” the statement clarified. These include the Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital in Kaduna, and 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses.
According to the government, all three vocational training institutes, the Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa Institute in Rigachikun, Col. Dangiwa Umar Institute in Soba, and Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Institute in Samaru Kataf, were “fully initiated and completed by the administration of Governor Uba Sani, CON.”
“These institutes are pivotal to Governor Uba Sani’s human capital development agenda, designed to equip Kaduna’s youth with practical, future-ready skills,” the statement said, adding that the facilities are expected to graduate at least 36,000 youths annually.
The administration also noted that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) had certified the centres as “the best-equipped skills development centers in Nigeria.” Quoting the NBTE Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, the statement said Kaduna State had emerged as the “hub of skills development in Nigeria,” with facilities surpassing even those in existing polytechnics and universities of technology.
On the 100 CNG buses, the government emphasised that it was an original initiative of Governor Sani’s administration to provide “reliable and eco-friendly transportation while mitigating the impact of fuel subsidy removal.” It also revealed that workers, retirees, and students would enjoy free rides for the first six months.
Regarding the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, the government clarified that the project was originally conceived during the tenure of former Vice President Namadi Sambo. However, it was only completed and fully equipped under Governor Sani’s administration.
“At the commissioning ceremony, Vice President Namadi Sambo openly acknowledged that three successive administrations failed to complete the hospital, and commended Governor Uba Sani for his leadership and resolve in finally delivering the project,” the statement noted.
It added that when Governor Sani assumed office, the hospital was only 53 percent completed and lacked medical equipment. “The uncompleted facility had become a symbol of waste, mismanagement, and abandonment,” it said.
“The completion and full equipping of the 300-bed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital became a top priority in Governor Uba Sani’s broader healthcare revitalization programme,” the press statement added. According to the government, this move, alongside the rehabilitation of general hospitals, had “enhanced access to quality healthcare and contributed to the reduction of multidimensional poverty in Kaduna State.”
The statement concluded by describing the specialist hospital as a “signature achievement” of the current administration. “He gave it his all—failure was never an option,” it said, referencing Governor Sani’s dedication to completing the hospital.
Reacting to El-Rufai’s assertions, the government said, “In light of these tangible and verifiable achievements, Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s resort to distortions and falsehoods is regrettable but not surprising. While he is entitled to his opinions, facts remain sacred.”
The Kaduna State Government reaffirmed its commitment to “good governance, transparency, and sustainable development,” stating that it would not be distracted by “misinformation or political bitterness.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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