In an interview on Channels Television on Monday, September 6, the Kaduna state Governor said standardization of the scores would make students from the North to be competitive nationally and internationally.

He said “The North has always been behind in education, we’ve continuously been the disadvantaged region right from independence even though we’re given preferences, JAMB scores and all that. That has not helped, in fact, it has made our people lazy. Against this differential JAMB and FG (Federal Government) scores, I think people should be encouraged to work hard and compete and we’re prepared to make our children in Kaduna State to be competitive, not only in the state but globally. The schools are closed now because, on the advice of security agencies, they need a couple of months to undertake massive security operations. They’re doing that. We’re confident that from the next two weeks, we’ll start the gradual reopening of schools. We’ve moved many of our students to rural areas that we’re not sure we can protect to urban schools, thereby increasing the congestion in urban schools that we can protect. The continuous closure of schools is exactly what bandits and Boko Haram want and we’re not going to let them win but we must put the safety of our children and teachers first

El-Rufai disclosed this on Thursday, May 6, during a webinar organised by the Africa Leadership Group.

He said “Two days after the abduction of the Afaka young people, I was assured by the air force and the army that they knew where the kidnappers were with the students and they had encircled (them). We were going to attack them. We would lose a few students but we would kill all the bandits and we would recover some of the students. That was our plan. That was the plan of the air force and the army… But they slipped through the cordon of the army. That is why they were not attacked. We know it is risky, we know in the process we may lose some of the abductees but it is a price we have to pay. This is war, there will always be collateral damage in war and we will rather do that than pay money because paying money has not solved the problem anywhere in the world.”

El-Rufai admitted that he had “lost weight” over the insecurity in Kaduna State, which he said was giving him sleepless nights; however, he claimed that Kaduna’s insecurity was not as bad as Niger Katsina and Zamfara.

The governor said this in a statement released while reacting to the recent eviction notice issued to herdsmen in some parts of the South West.

He said “The government of Kaduna State notes with grave concern, video clips circulating on social media platforms like WhatsApp in which citizens of a particular ethnicity are being massacred and their properties destroyed in parts of Nigeria. This is coming amidst avoidable rhetoric, frenzied ethnic profiling and unlawful eviction of citizens from their places of domicile. Many citizens of Kaduna State have reached out to me as their governor to confirm the authenticity of these video clips. Some allege that these incidents have the support of leaders of the places where attacks have occurred. While I am unable to confirm the authenticity of the video clips, their impact on the peaceful coexistence of our people is a source of concern. On behalf of the Government of Kaduna State, I call on all Nigerians living in our State to respect law and order and the rights of all citizens to live in peace and security wherever they reside or work. I appeal to my colleagues governing other States in our country to make similar statements and disavow these attacks and massacres. We must avoid anarchy and vigorously promote the rule of law and the right of all citizens to life, liberty and livelihoods wherever they choose to reside. Elected and appointed public leaders across the country must act on their constitutional obligations to protect all citizens, uphold order, and contribute to a climate for peaceful resolution of all issues.”

Delivering a keynote address at the 22nd Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) in Lagos on Thursday, November 5, the Kaduna state Governor averred that there is still much potential for growing Value Added Tax (VAT) and independent revenues of the Federal Government than what is being collected presently.

El-Rufai said “With national tax revenues (oil and non-oil) still less than 7 per cent of GDP, Nigeria is way behind the average of comparator nations of about 20% of GDP. As the world goes green, and crude oil loses its primacy as a leading source of energy, Nigeria must look inwards and compel every adult to pay tax as part of our citizenship obligation. In light of the situation that we are, we have very few options other than developing our capacity to collect to broaden the tax net, assess and collect taxes from individuals and companies to levels of our comparator nations – at least 20% of GDP within the shortest possible timeframe. As political leaders and tax professionals, we must put our collective heads together to ensure this national objective is achieved as soon as possible. The total internally generated revenues by states are currently less than one per cent of GDP, despite the fact that Nigeria’s current fiscal federalism framework allows states (and local governments) to collect any taxes, levies and fees as in the Taxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Act, LFN CAP T02. We were determined from 2015 to assess and collect enough tax revenues to cover at least our personnel costs, and in the medium term, our entire recurrent budget such that we don’t need to wait for the monthly FAAC ‘handouts’ to keep our governmental operations running. To underscore our commitment to this, the then Deputy Governor and I resolved to donate 50 per cent of our salaries and allowances to the state treasury until we are able to achieve the first benchmark. We did so in 2019! The positive effects of tax revenue depend on prudence. For instance, efficient infrastructure enables firms to be competitive, and inefficient infrastructure harms competitiveness. Excessive taxation can be an added business burden that also adversely affects competitiveness. For example, multiple and high levels of taxation affect supply and output prices, firm revenues, and profits. The pace of national development, especially in developing and emerging economies such as Africa critically depends on the role government plays in providing both the traditional services that are her exclusive reserves such as law and order, defence, etc. and non-traditional services such as justifiable economic and social interventions in infrastructure, education and basic healthcare. Recent literature and country experiences suggest that ‘developmental states’ – that often intervene significantly in social and economic sectors – are better able to achieve faster economic growth and diversification than the regulatory states promoted by the now-discredited Washington Consensus which pushed for lesser government involvement in the economic arena. From the foregoing, it is clear that four key points have emerged as the guiding principles for achieving development with taxation: Forming and running efficient and effective governments with strong policies, institutions and executive capacity; Performance-based budgeting to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the utilization of government revenues; Prioritizing expenditure to intervene in sectors that accelerate national economic growth and performance; Building autonomous institutions that reduce uncertainties and transaction costs, influence socially responsible choices, and compel rational actions. Taxation, Development and Competitiveness: Competitiveness is determined by an environment that promotes investment and innovation by businesses, which enables them to compete globally and in return attract investment from international companies. It is therefore obvious that many factors besides tax policy determine where a company locates its investment. These factors include the availability of strong institutions, product/service markets, good infrastructure, educated and skilled labour and a robust financial system, amongst many others. Organizations appear to be more competitive when the tax burden on them is reduced. The reduction of the corporate tax rate from 30% to 20% and 0% for companies with a turnover of N100M and N25m, respectively, were expected to boost the competitiveness of Nigeria’s economy. This incentive is expected to encourage businesses to innovate, expand their productive base, increase employment of skilled and unskilled labour, improve supply chain efficiencies, and attract foreign direct investment. Tax policy is one of the veritable tools available to countries to improve and promote national competitiveness. No wonder in recent times, many countries have focused on reducing their corporate income taxes in order to attract investment and businesses, and create jobs and wider tax net. In Europe, for instance, Belgium considered reducing its corporate tax rate from 33.99% to 25%, Luxembourg cut its corporate income tax rate from 26% to 20%, while the overall EU tax rate fell from 45% to 24%. The US also considered reducing corporate taxes from 35% to 21% to enhance its competitiveness globally”

The governor received the amended penal code and signed it into law on Wednesday, September 16.

Following the alarming rate of rape cases in the state, the governor called for stiffer penalties for convicts, saying that they may assault more persons if they are sent to prison and released after completing their jail terms.

Recall that the state House of Assembly recently amended Section 258 of the Penal Code Law No. 5 of Kaduna State 2017, with the following provisions

“Whoever commits rape of a child below the age of fourteen (14) years shall on conviction, be punished with Surgical Castration and death. Whoever has sexual intercourse with a male child below the age of fourteen years shall be punished with surgical castration and death. Where a female adult is convicted for the offence of rape of a child, the Court shall punish the accused with Bilateral Salpingectomy and death. Where the victim is above fourteen years, the Court shall on conviction sentence the accused with a punishment of surgical castration and life imprisonment. Where the convict is a child, the Court shall order as appropriate under the Children and Young Person Law Cap 26 Laws of Kaduna State 1991. Where the victim is a child, the Court shall in addition to the conviction, order that the convict is listed in the Sex Offenders Register to be published by the Attorney General. Where the Court is trying the offence of rape involving a child below the age of fourteen years, corroboration of a medical report shall be necessary”

The Kaduna State Governor who disclosed this in an executive committee meeting with traditional rulers chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar on Monday, September 7, called on northern traditional rulers not to relent in spearheading the campaigns to avoid the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the region.

Channels Television reported that El-Rufai affirmed that the challenges in the treatment of the pandemic make it imperative for people to desist from activities that will promote the spread of the virus in the northern region and the country at large.

The Kaduna State Governor who said this during an interview on Channels Television, also alleged that previous governments paid leaders of the region a monthly salary they called “peace money”.

He said “Most of the people saying that have no means of livelihood were living off the governments. The governments before us were paying them money every month, they called it peace money. We stopped it. This is why they say I am taking sides.  Whatever they say, I take it. I am the governor of the state. If they don’t abuse me, who will they abuse Anyone that is moderate or promoting peaceful co-existence between various ethnic groups is considered a sellout. And for a governor like me who does not appease them because they are used to being appeased, they cause troubles, they organise these killings and then, their leaders are invited by the governor, they wine and dine and they are given brown envelopes. That’s what they have been doing for 20 years. And we came into office and we said no more, nobody who does not encourage peaceful co-existence will have access to the governor or the government house. I have no time for them. I have no time for nonsense. I will not appease criminals. I will not appease idle people who have nothing to do but to raise a spectre of genocide. They do that to get money into their bank accounts and get donations from abroad instead of standing up. They have come up with other things because the money they got during the election is exhausted and they can say whatever they want to say. I will not appease troublemaker. I will not tolerate people that incite. I will map them, we will arrest and prosecute them, that’s my style, I obey the rule of law.”

Hon. Henry Olu Olatuja,Chairman of the APC in the state has pointed an accusing finger to the three apex politicians of starting  an undemocratic process leading to an intra-party mayhem in the state.

Furthermore,Olatuji said ten out of the governorship aspirants in the state for July 20 governorship primary may boycott the exercise.

He added that the aspirants will not be part of the primary election should the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC) insist on the indirect mode of primary for the party’s primary in the state.

Recall that leadership of the Ondo state House of Assembly has suspended the deputy speaker of state’s House of Assembly, Irioju Ogundeji, and another member of the House, Adewale Williams.

It was reported that both lawmakers were among the nine lawmakers that kicked against the impeachment move against deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi.

In a tweet posted on Thursday evening, June 11, Governor El-Rufai said the license of the school has also been revoked.

His tweet reads “KDSG has closed Future Leaders International School and revoked its license to operate. The school opened and conducted entrance exams contrary to the provisions of the Quarantine Order, which directed all schools, both public and private, to remain closed”

The school conducted entrance examination into Junior Secondary School I (JSS I) and Senior Secondary School I (SSI) for 70 pupils on Wednesday, June 10.

In a statewide broadcast on June 9, 2020, Governor El Rufai applauded residents of the state for their immense sacrifices in the last two-and-half months that the state had been on lockdown as containment measures against the spread of Coronavirus in the state.

He said “Businesses can reopen, subject to the provision of thermometers for temperature checks, sanitizers or handwashing equipment and physical distancing measures within all facilities. Working hours will be from 9am to 3 pm daily. Supermarkets and providers of personal services such as hairdressing and barbing salons can reopen. Within the state, security checkpoints will be allowed only to enforce compliance with the night-time curfew. During the day, any violations of the adjusted quarantine order like failure to wear facemasks, etc., will be enforced by operation Yaki, KASTLEA, the vigilance service and our mobile courts”

He said that Church services are allowed only on Sundays and Mosques are allowed to conduct only Friday Jumat services, for the time being, subject to compliance with the safety stipulations to the guidelines.