By: Luka Binniyat

The Centrum Initiative for Development and Fundamental Rights Initiative, CEDRA, yesterday gave Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna state a 48 hours ultimatum to sack his Special Adviser on Invesment Promotion, Mr. Adebisi Lawal, more known as Jimmy Lawal, alleging that he was on the list of US wanted men.

Nasir-el-Rufai

The Chairman  of CEDRA, Dr. John Danfulani, a Political Science lecturer at the Kaduna State University, KASU who addressed a Press Conference in Kaduna on the issue said: “CEDRA believes in El-rufa’I’s philosophy of running a slim government and appointment of aides from many parts of the Federation to help him accomplish his mission in Kaduna State.

“CEDRA totally accept the fact that he acted within powers bestowed on him in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution. CEDRA wants to believe that the criteria he used for appointment of his aides are loyalty, hard-work, track record of such persons, credibility, moral uprightness, and shared vision. If that is the case, CEDRA believes that inclusion of Jimmy Adebisi Lawal, Special Adviser on Investments Promotion, has polluted the puritanical stance of El-rufa’i’s administration.

“Mr. Lawal is a character enmeshed with multiple scandals in the private sector and also reported by Saharareporters as a wanted man in the U.S. for fraud-related offences.

“There is no doubt that Governor El-rufa’i has full knowledge of his pedigree.As long as Mr. Lawal is in the loop, the government of El-Rufa’i will continue to suffer moral deficiency and lack of trust from the people.” Danfulani explained

All attempts by our correspondent  to get the governor’s  spokesman, Samuel Aruwan,  to get El Rufai’s side of the story was not responded to up to the time of sending this report.