El-Rufai appears in court to testify in libel suit

KADUNA State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, on Wednesday, gave evidence at a Kaduna High Court in a libel suit he instituted against the publishers of The Union newspaper.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna and signed by the governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan.

The statement recalled that in July 2015, less than two months in office, the newspaper published a scurrilous story about the governor’s assets.

In the story, according to the statement, “The Union invented figures they said the governor held in cash and assets. The governor then directed his legal team to sue Today Publishing Limited and the reporter for defamation.”

The governor, accompanied by his deputy, Barnabas Bala, appeared before Justice Mairo L. Muhammed.

Led in evidence by his counsel A. U. Mustapha, el-Rufai said he was in court to seek justice over the attempt by the publishers of The Union to scandalise him.

During cross-examination by counsel to the defence, el-Rufai affirmed that he declared his assets as governor-elect, as mandated by the constitution, prior to taking the oath of office as the state governor.

He confirmed that he became very successful and comfortable as a chartered Quantity Surveyor while still young.

Following the conclusion of cross-examination, the court adjourned till June 15 for the defence to open its case.