El-Rufai and Governor Sani: Who would have thought?

The mortal political combat between the immediate-past governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and his godson-turned-successor, Senator Uba Sani, is an ugly episode no one saw coming. Even the most sagacious political Nostradamus would not have predicted it.

Yet, a feud now exists between the once-close Kaduna politicians. If anything, their altercation only reinforces a well-known truth about Nigeria’s politicians: their friendships are never permanent, only the interests that bind them together are.

But how did it all begin? What turned political allies who once shared laughter and ambitions into bitter foes exchanging public jabs? The answer lies in power, control, and the usual Nigerian political tradition of betrayal.

Barely months after settling into office, Governor Sani shocked Kaduna residents when he lamented that he inherited a mountain of debts from his predecessor. He painted a grim picture of the state’s financial health, reeling out figures that left many gasping.

According to him, the El-Rufai administration left a staggering $587 million in foreign debt, alongside domestic liabilities of ₦85 billion. The revelation set tongues wagging, as many wondered if Kaduna was on the brink of financial collapse.

The timing of Governor Sani’s statement raised eyebrows. Was he genuinely informing the public, or was he subtly setting the stage to distance himself from his benefactor’s legacy? Some political observers argued that it was a classic move by a successor seeking to carve his own identity.

Others believed it was an early warning to El-Rufai’s loyalists that the days of unquestioned loyalty were over. Expectedly, the counterattack was swift. El-Rufai’s loyalists, particularly his former commissioners, fired back, dismissing Governor Sani’s claims as a well-rehearsed script meant to tarnish their boss.

They accused the governor of concocting figures, alleging that his statements were designed to justify his inability to perform. The political drama had begun, and neither side was ready to blink first. Then came another bombshell, this time, from the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

A special committee set up by the lawmakers uncovered what they described as reckless financial dealings under El-Rufai’s watch. The committee’s findings accused the former administration of mismanaging over ₦423 billion.

Allegations of inflated contracts, shady withdrawals, and outright diversion of funds filled the pages of their damning report. This was no longer just a case of political differences; it had escalated into a full-blown war. At first, Governor Sani tried to downplay the situation.

In a recent television interview, he denied any feud with his predecessor, insisting that their relationship remained cordial and focused on the state’s progress. He dismissed the growing rumours as the work of mischief-makers trying to create unnecessary tension. But just when it seemed like the matter might be fading, El-Rufai shattered the illusion.

In a shocking revelation, he admitted that a rift did exist between him and Governor Sani. He said that the federal government had disbursed over ₦150 billion to the Kaduna state government, subtly suggesting that these funds were part of an orchestrated plot to weaken him politically.

El-Rufai’s comments raised more questions than answers. Was he implying that the presidency had turned against him? Or was he simply reinforcing the widely held belief that Nigeria’s politics is a brutal game where today’s allies can become tomorrow’s enemies? For many Kaduna residents, the drama playing out between the two men was not new.

Nigeria’s politics is littered with such betrayals. From Anambra to Oyo, from Rivers to Kano, history is replete with stories of godsons biting the hands that once fed them. Political godfathers install protégés with the hope of maintaining control, but once in power, many godsons realise that the weight of governance is too heavy to carry with another man’s shadow lurking.

But godfathers, too, are often their own worst enemies. Many overreach, believing their influence will last forever. They forget that power is intoxicating, and once a godson gets a taste of it, obedience turns to resistance, and loyalty fades into defiance. History has shown that political godsons often grow tired of their masters’ dictates.

The ongoing feud between El-Rufai and Governor Sani is more than just an intra-party rivalry. It highlights a critical flaw in Nigeria’s political landscape: the tendency for personal vendetta to overshadow the collective welfare of the people. Political fights such as this stall progress, as they divert attention and resources away from pressing issues that affect everyday citizens, like infrastructure, security, and social welfare.

In more stable and advanced democracies, politicians tend to focus on serving the public good, even when personal disagreements arise. A prime example can be seen in countries like the United States or Germany, where politicians from opposing parties regularly engage in heated debates and disagreements, yet they understand the importance of putting the nation’s needs first.

The idea of political figures publicly and bitterly battling over personal differences to the detriment of their constituencies is largely foreign in such settings. But in Nigeria, personal interests often take precedence over the collective good. The conflict between El-Rufai and his successor distracts from real governance issues, forcing citizens to become spectators in a political drama that has little to do with their needs.

The consequences are far-reaching. Instead of fostering development, such fights only deepen divisions, erode public trust in the system, and stunt the nation’s growth. Ultimately, while politicians here might relish these internal power struggles, the wider society bears the brunt of their failures.

The cost is social discontent, economic stagnation, and the perpetuation of a political system where the interests of the people are secondary to the whims of the powerful. But these are the pertinent questions: will the El-Rufai/Governor Sani rift deepen, leading to a full-scale political war ahead of the 2027 elections? Or will both men find a way to reconcile, realising that in the end, their personal battles only serve to weaken the APC in Kaduna state?

One thing is certain: the teacher and the student are locked in a battle neither of them saw coming. Who would have thought that the same hands that lifted Governor Uba Sani to power would now be clenched into fists against him?