Elrufai denies leading Northern Govs to negotiate $bn Islamic Bank Loan after Shehu Sani’s attack

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai has denied leading a delegation of Northern Governors to Saudi Arabia that negotiated for a multi-billion dollar loan with the Islamic Development Bank of Jedda this month. This follows the attack on the Governors and the leader of the delegation to the Islamic Development Bank by the Senator representing Kaduna Central Shehu Sani who described the process as contrary and a direct violation of the laws of the Federal Republic.

Shehu Sani described the leader of the delegation to the islamic bank loan negotiations, believed to be the Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-rufai as ignorant of the provisions or the law or has made deliberate choice to circumvent the law. 

Nasir Elrufai, who responded to media enquiry through his spokesman Mr. Samuel Aruwan, said the Borno state governor was the leader of the delegation. In his words; “Your best contact on this matter is the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetima. He is the Chairman of Northern State’s Governors’ Forum who also led the delegation.”

Sani, who represents Kaduna Central in the Senate, said the action of the governors runs contrary to the relevant provisions of the act that clearly and unambiguously rest the exclusive right to borrow externally on the federal government.

He said the Debt Management Office (DMO) act of 2003, section 21 and external borrowing guidelines of 2008-2012, paragraph 2, clearly states that “Any Government or it’s agencies can only obtain external loan through the federal government and such loans must be supported by federal government Guarantee.” The act, he said is “explicitly clear that NO state, local government or federal agency shall on its own borrow externally.”

“I wish to advice the northern governors to go back and read the relevant acts. And I call on the Islamic Development Bank not to release any of their funds until the due process is followed or else they will be on their own,” Senator Sani said.

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