By Sani Bello Hamza
It is often said that if you live in a glass house you shouldn’t throw stone. You should not be caught engaging in a stone fight when you live in a fragile glass house. Because In a stone fight, you can’t dictate where or when to be stoned. You’re prone to accept the throw no matter the gravity or amount of damage you will incur.
Nigeria politicians could easily be equated to glasshouse owners who enjoy throwing stones on their neighbors but cry whenever they’re being stoned. Stone fight in the sense that they label their colleagues with all sort of names, drag them in the mud and expect them to be good samaritans—fold their arms, forgive, and forget. Our politicians also live by the mantra “end justify the means” which gives them the licence to commit all manner of atrocities to protect their interest and achieve their selfish political gain.
One of such politicians is Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai–a vocal and staunch critique. A man who could not easily be defeated in a formal debate. Mallam posses a unique oratory and deep communication strategy to downplay his enemies to the lowest ebb. His eloquence and level of intelligence could obviously be seen in the recent Arise Tv interview, where he expressed sheer dissatisfaction in Tinubu’s administration; narrated his ordeal with the National security adviser; explain his relationship with his successor –Governor Uba Sani, and tipped in his ambition to scout for a seat and go all out for revenge in 2027.
After the interview, one is left with no option but to wonder whether this is the El-Rufai we saw in the eve of 2023 General election. We all saw how he (El-Rufai ) dexterously campaigned for his friend and mentee, Uba Sani, through the purported Muslim-Muslim ticket and openly declared that his vote and that of the people of Kaduna belonged to Tinubu, Uba, and Kashim. Now that he had fulfilled the promise and delivered, what’s next? What was his reward? Idleness or low budget blogging?
To understand the past, analyze the present, and predict the future, we must recollect History.
In 2023, El-Rufai anointed and painstakingly installed Gov. Uba Sani as his successor to build on his “legacy” of building a “New Kaduna state” to actualize his long term dream of building a “peaceful, developed and prosperous state.”
Of course, Uba Sani uphold on the principles and promised to build on his predecessor’s mantra of maintaining an accountable and transparent government. He set the ball running by digging on the financial activities of the immediate past administration with an alleged embezzlement of over 400 billion Naira in uncompleted projects and payment of public funds into personal accounts. The former governor’s Chief of Staff and commissioner of finance was arrested and detained in connection to the alleged mismanagement. Since then, El-Rufai became a staunch and rigorous critique of the incumbent governor and silently plotting to dethrone his Kaduna “friend”.
Could it be said that Uba Sani betrayed his leader and their struggle?
Of course No, change always begin with the leader. To effectively usher in development, our leaders must be accountable and responsible for their present and past actions. Tough decisions must be made. If truly, with all sincerity, El-Rufai had never siphoned public funds, he should’ve calmed down and let the Law enforcement agents do their job. He shouldn’t be seen playing the victim and protagonist card.
While I may also disagree with Gov. Uba Sani’s approach, I still believe the Governor may have learnt from his mentor and former “friend”, who knows?
Remember in 2019 when El-Rufai publicly called for the retirement of two Kaduna senators from the national Assembly whom he termed as the graviest enemies of Kaduna state and its people? El-Rufai was restless until he witnessed the retirement of Shehu Sani and Sule Hunkuyi. He was elated when they became political pensioners just because they cross-carpated to the opposition party. Should they also unfriend him and dragged him to Arise TV?
History will also not forget when El-Rufai was celebrated as a Hero after an unsuccessful outing as the Special Adviser to former president Olusegun Obasanjo. In the clime of their misunderstanding, El-Rufai left the country on self imposed exile. Afterwards, he returned as the people’s Hero and most beloved politician. Throughout that period, Obasanjo was never seen wailing on a national TV critiquing El-Rufai not even when he was a governor, why is El-Rufai now throwing stones?
Indeed when it comes to loyalty El-Rufai is not the ideal man. Obasanjo perfectly summed El-Rufai’s personality in a single sentence when he wrote:
“I recognized his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue for long, but only to Nasir El – Rufai.”
I couldn’t agree less with the above exposition. You shouldn’t ask El-Rufai about loyalty because years ago it was Obasanjo, then Jonathan, he silently did with Buhari and now, he is on the loggerhead with Ribadu, Uba Sani and the entire Tinubu’s Administration.
Is it possible to be the Mr. Right at all times? Will El-Rufai drag Tinubu if he was given a ministerial appointment? Will he be on this page with Uba if the governor turned a blind eye on the activities of the previous administration?
If all the answers are in affirmative, then Malam is sternly fighting for the poor. Otherwise, he has grown weary of retirement and desperately want to be relevant and taste power again.
Sani Bello Hamza writes from Zaria.