The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday dragged The Union Newspaper based in Lagos for publishing a story that he has declared an asset worth N90 billion at the Code of Conduct Bureau.                         

The governor, who filed his petition at the State High Court against the newspaper house, was accompanied by his Deputy, Bala Bantex, his lawyers and top government officials.

Speaking shortly after signing the writ of summons at the court registry, Governor El-Rufai denied having N90 billion asset and however, describing the story as “untrue and malicious. Let them come and prove that I am as rich as they claimed.”

“I hope I lose the suit because if I have all these money, I would do a lot more for Kaduna State with the money,” he added.

Although he told reporters that he has declared his asset even before his swearing in on May 29, 2015, the governor did not disclose the total amount of asset declared at the Code of Conduct Bureau.                                       

The Union had on the June 1, 2015, published a story that Governor El-Rufai declared N90 billion assets, including 40 mansions scattered across the country.                                                       

El-Rufai said yesterday: “I am here to sign papers to file a suit against a newspaper publication that claimed falsely that I declared N90bn as my asset and that I had forty mansions in Abuja.

“It has taken a bit of time for the lawyers to put together the papers but we are definitely suing them. Let them come and prove that I am as rich as they claimed.

“No one can be sworn into office as governor without declaring his assets. So, every governor in Nigeria; every elected officials must have declared his assets before the chief judge swears him in. It is not even a question requiring an answer.”