Kaduna Govt Rebuts El-Rufai’s Claims, Says Tinubu-Commissioned Projects Were Uba Sani’s Achievements
Kaduna State rebuts El-Rufai’s claims, says Tinubu-commissioned projects were completed by Uba Sani.
Government lists vocational centers, hospital, and CNG buses as proof of current administration’s work.
The Kaduna State Government has strongly refuted recent comments by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, calling his claims about the ownership of recently commissioned projects “bare-faced lies” and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.
El-Rufai, in a recent televised interview, alleged that all the projects inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his visit to Kaduna were initiated during his tenure. However, the state government dismissed the assertion, insisting that several of the projects were conceptualized, executed, and completed under the current administration of Governor Uba Sani.
In a statement issued by Ibraheem Musa, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani, the government clarified that the President inaugurated three major projects during his visit:
- Three Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development
- Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital
- 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses
The vocational training centers named the Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa Institute (Rigachikun), Col. Dangiwa Umar Institute (Soba), and Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Institute (Samaru Kataf) were fully developed and completed by Governor Sani’s administration. These institutes are expected to serve as a major component of the state’s youth empowerment and human capital development strategy, targeting over 36,000 beneficiaries annually.
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has commended the facilities, with its Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, reportedly declaring them the most well-equipped vocational institutes in Nigeria superior to many existing polytechnics and technological universities.
On the CNG buses, the state government explained that the initiative was part of its intervention following the federal government’s removal of fuel subsidies. The buses, designed to provide eco-friendly and affordable transportation, will offer free rides to workers, retirees, and students for the first six months, while the general public will enjoy subsidized fares.
Regarding the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, the government acknowledged it was initially conceived during the administration of former Vice President Namadi Sambo. However, the project reportedly languished for over ten years without meaningful progress. When Governor Sani took office, the hospital was only 53% completed and lacked all essential medical equipment. It has since been transformed into a fully equipped 300-bed specialist facility.
Vice President Namadi Sambo, who attended the commissioning, confirmed that the hospital had been neglected by previous governments and praised Governor Sani for seeing it through to completion.
“Governor Uba Sani gave it his all failure was never an option,” the statement said. It also noted that President Tinubu praised Governor Sani for his leadership and dedication to enhancing healthcare in the state.
Reacting to El-Rufai’s comments, the government described them as “regrettable but not surprising,” asserting that facts cannot be altered by public statements. The statement reaffirmed that Governor Uba Sani has achieved tangible progress where others stalled and emphasized the administration’s dedication to transparency, good governance, and inclusive development.
