By Sunday Onyemaechi Eze
It is no longer news that Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna state has dumped the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Before El-Rufai abandoned his old club, it was obvious that his soul had already left the party before now. Change is the only constant variable in life. In fact, something in us must keep changing – our values, jobs, perception, friends, attitudes etc. As people evolve, be it in politics, family life or in business, they grow, learn, metamorphose; live and transit to the great beyond. Above is the scenario El-Rufai has found himself today. A once powerful governor now clearly experiences how transient power could be and painful sabotage could become. He now understands what vanity means and how painful deception feels. The ephemeral nature of power and influential political office he had used to demonise and crush opposition has dawned on him.
He can see clearly the deceptive nature of the man in himself and in others he raised to stardom and those he thought were his friends. El-Rufai’s penchant for wielding enormous political power against his opponents is an evident norm. According to Prof. Farook Kperogi, “El-Rufai who once ruled with an iron fist, silencing critics with impunity, now fashions himself as the voice of the oppressed, railing against the very structures of power he once upheld with ruthless enthusiasm. Get El-Rufai back into power now or in 2027, he would be the same villainous backstabber he has always been. He would be the same annihilator of the homes of poor people. He would be the same horrid tormentor and abductor of critics.”
The transient nature of power has a special way of rewarding sadists in and out of the corridors of power. El-Rufai is receiving doses of his reward and nobody should pity him. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, therefore, if given another opportunity in government, El-Rufai – the leopard will never change its colour. He will quickly revert to his old arrogant self. Much as one detests some of El-Rufai’s tyrannical nature and mode of governance as governor and minister, his penchant for exhibiting undue superiority and egoism, he cannot be said to be a political push over. His former political party is very much aware of his strengths and weaknesses. They know he is capable of springing up political surprises that could further diminish APC and the party is obviously planning, realigning its goals and bracing up for the challenge.
With his influence, power and knowledge of the deep-rooted secrets and underhand dealings in APC and Nigerian politics, El-Rufai stands a better chance of frontally confronting and damaging the remaining reputation and de-marketing of APC. His political network and net worth of friends throughout the country is a force big enough to challenge the incumbency of Tinubu. And if the main opposition figures in the country could possibly work in harmony in the coming elections, winning the presidency in 2027 will not be a walk over for APC. One major impact of El-Rufai’s defection to SDP was the additional boost his presence has awarded the opposition politics which has for long lost its vitality. Moving from one political platform to the other is the usual pass time of Nigerian politicians.
Whenever, their political pedestrian interests are not protected, they simply switch allegiance and or jump ship. They always attempt to cajole all of us into believing they are saints by continuously trolling their old party – the same platform which nurtured and gave them prominence. And if they are dissatisfied with their new platform, they go back to the same old party they vilified. Do they think Nigerians are fools?
Many Nigerian political parties and politicians lack the guiding lights of political values or sound philosophies which keep parties alive, long and purposeful. That was why the nation is in motion but not movement. In Nigeria, every politician wants to serve and remain relevant in every government even when they have zero value and nothing to offer. This is because politics makes them who they are and without playing politics at the level of decision making, they are nothing. Almost if not all Nigerian politicians made their fortunes from politics. And if that life-line of free money is blocked, many of them will go bankrupt and fizzle out of relevance. That was why they go haywire, turn rebels and renegades against the system they helped to promote and enthrone whenever they feel shortchanged. Politics in Nigeria is a gold mine to enriching the few and pauperising the majority.
The impact of El-Rufai’s defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is loud and visible. Undermine El-Rufai to your peril. His consultations with other political figures are strategic to wining more souls for SDP. The flood gate of defection to SDP has just opened for many in the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP). The sorry state of the nation evident in high level of hardship is obviously what confers greater advantage to SDP. Nigerians are suffering thus have no option than to seek better alternative to Tinubu’s party and government. And SDP seems to have positioned itself as that available and alternative channel to deliver the desired good governance. El-Rufai’s defection is a good omen not because he is better than his friends in other political parties but for the reason that a new path to opposition politics and democratic process has been opened.
It is evident that El-Rufai has joined the league of ordinary Nigerians in feeling the pain, frustration and denial imposed on the people by those in government. He is complaining of injustice perpetrated against his associates by Governor Uba Sani and the police. This same El-Rufai had no regard for justice as governor. He flouted court orders and disobeyed many court judgements against the state at will, he detained dissenting voices, demolished peoples’ properties and ruled like an emperor. On what moral ground is he standing to plea and complain for justice and fairness? Nobody including El-Rufai himself thought he could suddenly become a force and voice in the opposition politics – eating the same very bad meals he had served others when in power. Tyrants they say forget their undue exploits while in power. However, many in Kaduna and Nigeria will not easily forget the narcist and nepotistic politics of the former governor.
• Eze, Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication and Head, Internationalisation and Partnership, Coal City University, Enugu