El-Rufai: A Narrative of Frustration and Falsehood -By Jabir T. Usman

The recent television appearance by the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, was a pitiable spectacle of a man grappling with the crushing weight of political irrelevance. His interview, laden with recycled and baseless allegations, was not an exposition of truth but a desperate cry for attention from a figure who has been rightly consigned to the sidelines of Kaduna’s and indeed Nigeria’s political arena. The caption “El-Rufai with Frustration” aptly captures the essence of his current state; a man driven by bitterness, forced to reignite old, incendiary rhetoric to feel a semblance of relevance.

It is an undisputed fact that El-Rufai has been forced out of the political limelight, a situation entirely of his own making. His attempts to remain in the public eye have now devolved into a ridiculous and tragic farce, where he seeks to run out of the “ivory tower” of his political retirement, a tower whose walls are built with the bricks of his own controversial legacy. He finds the silence of retirement deafening and the absence of sycophants unbearable, hence this resort to manufacturing controversies where none exist.

The core of his latest grievance, a tired rehash of the false claim that governor Uba Sani endorsed a N1 billion compensation payment to bandits, is as ludicrous as it is defamatory. He made this same allegation months ago, and like a poorly constructed house, it collapsed under the slightest scrutiny, failing to hold any water. That he would regurgitate this same debunked falsehood indicates not a commitment to truth, but a poverty of new ideas and a malicious intent to deceive the public.

What is most reprehensible is the timing of his vitriol. At a time when patriots across the nation are mourning the resurgence of killings and the heartbreaking abduction of schoolgirls in some states; crimes orchestrated by the dark forces of evil, El-Rufai has chosen to use this national tragedy as a cheap opportunity to score political points. Instead of joining in solidarity and offering constructive solutions, he dons the cloak of a critic, seeking to portray the incumbent government in a black paint of failure.

This attempt to paint the Uba Sani administration as a failure is the height of double-standard, given the apparent and widely acknowledged fact that it was El-Rufai himself who bequeathed a rotten and near insolvent system to the present government. The deep seated security challenges and the precarious financial state governor Uba Sani inherited are direct consequences of El-Rufai’s own policies and administrative choices, which have left the state grappling with a heavy burden.

The audacity of El-Rufai to speak on compensation for armed groups is particularly galling. As if he has suddenly developed amnesia, he conveniently forgets that it was his own administration that initiated and implemented a policy of compensating armed groups in Southern Kaduna. This is a matter of public record. For him to now turn around and accuse another of a similar, albeit fictional, action is a classic case of a pot calling the kettle black, a stunning display of sheer impunity and a lack of self-awareness.

The Kaduna state government must not treat these inflammatory statements with nonchalance. El-Rufai’s words are not mere political banter; they are careless sparks thrown into a powder keg of ethnic and religious tensions in Kaduna. Such rhetoric is capable of stirring up serious conflict, misleading the populace, and undermining the genuine efforts of the current administration to foster peace and reconciliation.

The government has a responsibility to protect its reputation and the integrity of its offices from such damaging and unsubstantiated allegations. To remain silent is to be complicit in the erosion of public trust. Therefore, the government must officially and decisively call Malam El-Rufai to order, making it clear that his reckless commentary will not be tolerated.

Furthermore, it is imperative that El-Rufai is forced to present evidence for his grave allegations. The burden of proof lies squarely on the accuser. If he possesses any iota of evidence, any document, or any credible witness to substantiate his claim of a N1 billion compensation, let him present it publicly. If he cannot, and he most certainly cannot, then he must be held accountable for peddling falsehoods.

Accountability in this instance must go beyond mere rebuttals. El-Rufai should be compelled to issue a public and unequivocal apology to the government and the good people of Kaduna state. He must be made to withdraw these venomous and unsubstantiated allegations without reservation. A man who once held the mantle of leadership must be taught that leadership does not grant a license to defame and destroy without consequence.

Let this statement be a reaffirmation of the fact, a fact that is incontrovertible: the Kaduna state government under the visionary leadership of governor Uba Sani has never, at any point, instituted, approved, or made any payment of N1 billion or any such colossal amount to bandits. This allegation exists only in the frustrated and vengeful imagination of Nasir El-Rufai.

Governor Uba Sani’s approach to security has been markedly different and more pragmatic than the chaotic and often contradictory strategies of the past administration. He has focused on strengthening the state’s security architecture, fostering community led intelligence gathering, and pursuing a holistic solution that addresses the root causes of banditry and criminality, rather than the knee-jerk and unsustainable policies of his predecessor.

Unlike El-Rufai, who often ruled with an iron fist and a divisive tongue, governor Sani has embraced a leadership style that is inclusive, consultative, and focused on healing the deep wounds inflicted on the state’s social fabric. He is building bridges where the previous administration built walls of distrust and alienation.

The people of Kaduna state are wiser and can see through the smokescreen of El-Rufai’s frustration. They are witnessing a government that is working tirelessly to clean up a messy inheritance and steer the state towards peace and prosperity. They will not be swayed by the bitter tantrums of a former leader who is unable to come to terms with his own political mortality.

It is time for Nasir El-Rufai to accept his retirement gracefully and allow the present administration the peace and space to continue its work of rebuilding Kaduna state. His continued vitriol serves no one but himself and the agents of discord he seems so eager to empower. Kaduna has moved on, and it is a pity he has not.

Jabir T Usman writes from Sabon Gari Tudun Wada Kaduna jabson.usman@gmail.com