Court declines to hear el-Rufai’s suit against Kaduna assembly for lack of jurisdiction

The federal high court in Kaduna has declined to hear the suit filed by Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of the state, for lack of jurisdiction.

In his ruling, Rilwanu Aikawa, the presiding judge, transferred the case to the Kaduna chief judge for determination.

In June, el-Rufai sued the Kaduna house of assembly over a claim that his administration diverted N423 billion when he was the governor of the state.

Through Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), el-Rufai filed the fundamental rights suit at the federal high court in Kaduna.

He asked the court to declare the report of the ad hoc committee set up by the house of assembly unconstitutional, null, and void for violating his right to a fair hearing.

On June 5, the Kaduna assembly recommended the probe of el-Rufai over the allegation of public funds diversion and money laundering during his administration.

The house of assembly made the recommendation after a report by an ad hoc committee set up to investigate the state’s finances under the administration of el-Rufai.

El-Rufai was governor of Kaduna from 2015 to 2023.

In the ruling delivered on July 30, Aikawa dismissed the applicant’s application, asking him to recuse himself.

The judge held that the applicant failed to provide cogent reasons or facts.

In July, the former Kaduna governor petitioned John Tsoho, chief judge of the federal high court, accusing Aikawa of “gross bias, injustice, and denial of a fair hearing”.