Like him or hate him, Nasir El-Rufai is one character you cannot ignore. If for nothing, but for his nuisance value. This he has much in abundance. He thrives on controversy and enjoys being in the limelight albeit for the wrong reasons.
Since his announced defection from the All Progressives Congress APC, which he once swore he would leave only for his grave, to the Social Democratic Party SDP, I have read and listened to some analyses by friends and foes of the former Minister and Kaduna State Governor.
I laughed at some of the argument as it seem some of those who penned certain things knew little or nothing about Kaduna nay Northern politics. For some, in the words of our friend Abdulrauf Aliyu, they are just “hags for hire”. Some have attributed so much to Nasir that he cannot take a quarter of credit for.
For starters, Nasiru has little or no political value as some would want us believe to the extent that he can torpedo the next presidential or even governorship candidate. Before 2015, Nasiru had no political base nor structure. He only leverage on the Buhari whirlwind to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House. If you are in doubt, get some of his old media charts. He said so himself.
He could not get the votes of the electorates for his party as the APC did during the presidential elections.
To buttress this, when Polycap of APGA went to court post 2015 elections, APC almost lose Kaduna. Infact, the Judge had to say the court is not father Christmas and cannot give what was not asked for. If the PDP had challenged that elections, it would have been a different story.
The last time I sat with and interviewed elderstatesman Professor Ango Abdullahi in his Zaria home, I put him on phone to speak with another elder. Professor Ango Abdullahi was to remind the other that they warned them of what was in stock should they support the candidacy of el-Rufai to be Governor. He stressed the fact that he had no constituency before then.
So, he became Governor following the Buhari whirlwind, the “unsatisfaction” of the populace with the then PDP government following mass campaign of calumny by the APC which psych the people. Even at that, the political stakeholders with structures in Kaduna did everything for him to chest the tape.
On getting to office, those political stakeholders and their machineries were the first target of el-Rufai’s destructive tendencies. Their sources of livelihoods were not spared also as he deployed his machavelian act to push them out or silence then using state apparatus. Remember his outburst in Lagos that he has murdered hidfatherism in Kaduna and lagosiams should do same? The moderating factor then was his chief of staff Hadiza Bala Usman. But with her departure following her appointment to head NPA, he nosedived into the abyss.
For 2019 elections, the process was too glaring to even discuss here as far as the political dexterity of el-Rufai was concerned. For 2023, his much touted mobilisation for APC and Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a hoax as he could not bolster the much screamed electoral victory, but lost his state of Kaduna woefully to Atiku Abubakar.
If as a sitting Governor, he could not win his state for his party and presidential candidate, you think he can as an opposition?
Buhari just relocated to Kaduna and resounded his loyalty and support to his party APC, do you think he will allow el-Rufai to rubbish his hard earned post presidential “comfort” by working against his party candidates in the state?
Many may not be aware, some in Government today including Governor Uba Sani did all the footworks for el-Rufai’s elections in 2015 and 2019. They know him better than he know them. Even the election of Uba Sani was an homegoal qs he was dribbled beyond his political dexterity. Pre-2015, even Tinubu gave financial supports to all the candidates in Kaduna through el-Rufai. Ask Senator Shehu Sani and Co if they ever those supports got to them.
Sadly, most of the home based political greenhorn el-Rufai empowered through his government have little or no political weights even at their wards in the state; they are part of those “defecting” with him now while others are “aliens” with no stake in Kaduna. They came, harvested and departed.
For those who think the north as a region is still that monolithic political entity that can easily be nose-reined into the type of Buhari whirlwind of the past using religious sentiments, they may not have gauge the political temperature of the people. In fact, the Muslim-Muslim ticket that brought the current government and its outcome is enough yardstick to judge the electorates’ likely route come 2027. Even if the north is that monolithic political entity with religious sentiments as a guide, el-Rufai stand no chance of being the chaperone. Try sit with majority of the Ulamas today and discussed el-Rufai, you will know better.
To deviate a bit. Pre 2015 polls, both el-Rufai and Shehu Sani had to face the Ulamas. Sani for the allegation that he authored a book that touched on the prophet of Islam (SAW). El-Rufai for alleged demolition of places of worship as FCT Minister and said not have been seen in congregational prayers or ever supported any religious events.
At the end, while Sani was cleared by the Ulamas, not so with el-Rufai. That resulted in his new found love with the Shi’ite movement led by Sheikh Yakubu Elzakzaky. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) then mobilised for him and el-Rufai became a regular visitor to Elzakzaky in Zaria, rekindling their old days on ABU campus.
The story of the IMN and Elzakzaky after their seeming confrontation with the then Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Buratai’s entourage is better left here. The current Minister of Environment Lawal Abbas then the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) revealed the lives that were lost and how the bodies of women, children were disposed while testifying at the commission of inquiry set up by the state government.
Sadly, even the recommendations of that commission that worked hard round the clock, were thrown away by the same el-Rufai.
So, the narration and belief of politically monolithic and religiously sentimental north that would believe in and be led by el-Rufai is a hoax. Of cause, no doubt, money bags, oppositions and political mischief makers would utilise huge war chests to mobilise gullible Nigerians in the name of fighting for them.
Infact, the lethargic voter apathy that may be seen in the 2027 polls may not allow the el-Rufais of this world have much impact on trying to unseat Tinubu coupled with the fact that some off his allies are part and parcel of the same government he pretends to fight and further do him in.
But curiously, considering the way el-Rufai’s allies are being picked up for the malfeasance committed under him as Kaduna State Governor, could this rabble rousing be strategy of avoiding accountability if and when eventually he is picked up by the antigraft agency? Don’t rule out any possibility.
Yes, Tinubu publicly pleaded with him to work with his government when voted during campaigns. Could this be the strategy of draw your friends close, but draw your enemies closer to ensure they don’t wreck much havoc?
Like I always tell those friends close to the man, be worried when el-Rufai keep quiet. But anytime he roars, he is terrified and out seeking attention. El-Rufai thrives in controversy and love being in the limelight often for the wrong reason.
Ironically, only God knows who will see 2027. But should we survive by His grace to then, el-Rufai’s nuisance value would be utilised to heat up the polity just to get attention, or to try and sell himself into another government position for personal gains, but definitely not in public interest.
For now, all those he had worked with and for, to get into government that he is today calling names, know how to tame him by a rein of rope round his waist. They are just waiting for the right time.
Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir Writes From Kaduna
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