Kaduna State Governor-elect, Nasiru El-Rufai has asked Nigerians to pity General Muhammadu Buhar and him as they prepare to face the onerous challenges of mending the battered economy.
According to him, those who have been congratulating him and the President might not have known the enormity of the challenges they are facing, alleging that the state of economy in his state and at the federal level has become so bad that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government had to obtain loan to pay salaries.
El-Rufai who spoke at a special reception for elected officials by Kaduna Peoples’ Association (KAPA) and Special prayer for them by APC Yoruba Political Forum at Arewa House in Kaduna today said that Kaduna State is currently in debt to the tune of over N90 billion.
The governor-elect, however, assured that his government would not share the public fund to any persons or group, no matter how highly placed they were.
At the Yoruba Political Forum’s parley, El-Rufai said: “when people call me to congratulate me or come to congratulate me and General Buhari, I always tell them, thank you, but what we need is your sympathy and prayers.
“This is because, I and General Buhari are taking over bankrupt governments; it is so bad that, the Jonathan administration is finding it difficult to pay salaries, in fact, they had to obtain loan to pay salaries.
“In the case of Kaduna State, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s government has incurred debt to the tune of over N90 billion, and this may get to N100 billion before May 29. Therefore, what you have done is exactly what we need to succeed”.
He assured that his government will not segregate and discriminate among indigenes and settlers.
El-Rufai thanked the Yoruba community for living peacefully in Kaduna as well as supporting him and General Buhari during their elections. [myad]
