Did Shehu Sani introduce El-Rufai to political blogging?

It is said that those in power have blind eyes, which is why they make irrevocable mistakes that baffle them after leaving the office. For the sweet tango of power, politicians make irreversible comments that haunt their political careers and block their paths ahead. 

In 2019, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna state, was a prominent figure in Nigeria’s politics. He was deeply involved in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s decisions and boasted of being a pillar and founding father of the All Progressives Congress (APC), overshadowing the contributions of others within the APC government. As a key political figure in the previous government, El-Rufai significantly shaped and directed the party’s affairs, steering them according to his own vision. 

El-Rufai was close to Buhari, wielding significant influence and shaping decisions that impacted Nigerians, for better or worse. The former governor is known for both praising his allies and criticising those who stand in his way. 

El-Rufai has threatened to quit the APC on multiple occasions when his decisions were not supported. He was instrumental in blocking the automatic ticket for Senators Shehu Sani and Sulaiman Hunkuyi, both from Kaduna state, which in turn affected other APC candidates in states where governors had strained relationships with the party leadership. He also challenged the power of former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who had been granting favours to APC senators and House of Representatives members. El-Rufai clashed with the former governor and the APC chairman in an effort to overturn the automatic tickets granted to Shehu Sani, Hunkuyi, and House of Representatives members from Kaduna and other states. 

“We have kicked out Shehu Sani, who has now become a blogger, and Uthman Hunkuyi, who has relocated to China with his family… they were sent out for not giving the people of Kaduna state the opportunity to get the loan that would have helped improve the lives of Kaduna residents,” El-Rufai said in August 2019. 

Now, the former governor and his allies are facing charges of misappropriation of the loan. However, Shehu Sani, a social media activist who frequently writes about the state of the nation, is seen by many as the target of the former governor’s public statements, which are viewed as attempts to ridicule, intimidate, and taunt him. 

The tides have turned against the former governor, who initially sought the vice presidency, then aimed for the position of secretary to the government of the federation, but ultimately settled for a ministerial position, a role he had publicly declared he wouldn’t accept.  However, his aspirations were ultimately thwarted by the Nigerian people, who rejected his candidacy for security reason.

After being disqualified as a minister in the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government, El-Rufai had promised to stay silent on political matters and to refrain from interfering in Kaduna state’s government affairs. However, he has now returned to the public sphere, actively stirring up his party members through media appearances. 

El-Rufai is actively promoting his political values and ideologies on social media platforms while criticising the Tinubu government. He has been involved in public disputes with individuals like Reno Omokri, Daniel Bwala, and has made veiled criticisms of Kaduna state Governor, Senator Shehu Sani, and the NSA, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, among others. 

Shehu Sani and Daniel Bwala have suggested that El-Rufai’s public criticisms stem from his exclusion from the Tinubu government. They believe that his frustration in not being in the administration has led him to use social media to criticise the very government he later supported after his dream of becoming a vice president with Rotimi Amaechi shattered.

It is argued that El-Rufai is facing the consequences of his actions during his time in office, including the controversial retrenchment of over 30,000 state government employees without justification, the demolition of homes and markets without compensation, and the disregard of court orders in favour of his personal interests, all of which have been seen as violations of the rule of law.

Opposition parties faced severe limitations on their freedom of expression, with many individuals being arrested for exercising their political rights. The Southern Kaduna community suffered from neglect, facing insecurity and a “divide and rule” approach to governance. Now, after years of suppression, they are experiencing a newfound sense of freedom and they are happy with President Tinibu government.

The travail of El-Rufai is a lesson to our leaders to do the right thing while in office because everyday is not  Christmas day. Like the African proverb says 99 days for the thief and one day for the owner; nothing in this world is permanent.

Nigerian leaders should put their subjects at heart and fulfil their campaign promises and never for any reason allow the intoxication of power make them abuse the opportunity the people gave to them just to serve them well because politicians pleaded for it.

The people deserve respect and good governance for coming out to vote, and should be treated equality with those in power without intimidation and violation of laws just to satisfy political ego.