From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has faulted claims by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai that all the projects commissioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his recent visit to the state were initiated under his administration.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, Ibraheem Musa, and made available to the media in Kaduna on Tuesday.
The Statement described El-Rufai’s assertions as misleading and a distortion of verifiable facts.
Recall that President Tinubu, during a two-day working visit to Kaduna, inaugurated three key projects: the Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, and a fleet of 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses.
The CPS noted that the three vocational training institutes located in Rigachikun, Soba, and Samaru Kataf were fully conceived, constructed, and completed under Governor Uba Sani’s watch.
“These institutes are not inherited or recycled projects. They are part of the governor’s human capital development initiative aimed at training over 36,000 youths annually”.
He added that the institutes have already been certified by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as the best-equipped skills centres in the country, with the board’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, describing Kaduna as the new “skills development hub of Nigeria”.
On the CNG buses, the government clarified that the initiative was introduced by Governor Sani to provide affordable and eco-friendly transport alternatives in the wake of fuel subsidy removal.
In respect of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital, Musa acknowledged that the facility was initially conceptualised during the tenure of former Governor Namadi Sambo, but emphasized that successive administrations failed to complete it.
“When Governor Uba Sani assumed office, the project was only 53 percent complete, with no equipment in place. Today, the hospital stands fully equipped with 300 beds and modern facilities, thanks to the governor’s prioritisation of healthcare”.
It also quoted former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who publicly commended Governor Sani for delivering a long-abandoned project that had been neglected across multiple administrations.
He said El-Rufai’s attempt to claim credit for the projects was unfortunate and an attempt at political revisionism.
“Facts are sacred. No amount of spin can erase Governor Uba Sani’s accomplishments. These projects are documented, delivered, and verifiable”.
Governor Uba Sani’s administration reiterated its focus on service delivery and inclusive governance, pledging not to be distracted by what it termed “political bitterness and misinformation.
