We copied Aregbesola’s programmes, in Kaduna I’m shameless about it -El-Rufai

The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has admitted he copied some social programmes Rauf Aregbesola implemented while he was Osun State Governor.

Speaking on Saturday during a virtual colloquium to mark Aregbesola’s 63rd birthday celebration, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, said the programmes struck him and helped him connect with Aregbesola.

“He did many innovative things to create prosperity in Osun and the results are clear.

“By the time I got elected as governor, I sent a team to Osun state to look at some of these policies and adjust them for implementation in Kaduna.

“I like copying whatever works, whatever succeeds because I don’t think you need to reinvent the wheel or be too proud.

“If something works, I am shameless in copying it and I sent a team to Rauf, they spent some time with him and we started the school feeding programme.

We also introduced these tablets the way he did. We copied Rauf.”

El-Rufai, however, blamed the drop in crude oil prices for the disruption in the programme implementation in Osun.

“He could not stop the programmes so he kept borrowing to fund them hoping that something would happen with oil prices.

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The legacy of domestic debt that he left behind is as a result of funding social programmes to reduce poverty and inequality which have been very successful but were disrupted.”