El Rufai's free education promise is 'laughable, insulting' — Kaduna governor

Kaduna State Governor, Ramalan Yero, has said the free education promise by Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, his major opponent in the 2015 gubernatorial elections, is ''laughable' and 'insulting'.

El-Rufai, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in the April polls had, while campaigning, promised free education through the state if he wins the April polls.

But incumbent governor, Yero, through his spokesperson, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the former minster's promise is only a political gimmick to promise free education "in the same school that he neglected when he had the opportunity as a former Minister.

"Now because he is a candidate, he is talking about free education if given the mandate which is already a policy in this administration," Maiyaki said.

The governor's spokesperson said El-Rufai's children all study abroad.

"It is so laughable for somebody whose children already school in United Kingdom (UK) because you don't believe in the system here. Because you had the opportunity of taking your children there.

"This is laughable, insulting for somebody to imagine that he will provide free education or his children will come back to public schools when he does not even have children that will attend school right now."

El-Rufai was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja from 16 July 2003 to 29 May 2007.