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By Dan Onwukwe
UNTIL 1998 when his political and public service career began as Economic Adviser to former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, a thoughtful question that was asked in the media was: ‘Who is Malam Nasir El-Rufai’? It was a routine question often asked, perhaps out of curiosity, especially when somebody’s name pops up in public consciousness like a silent mystery. Truth is, before 1998, little was known about El-Rufai outside Katsina and Kaduna states in the North West of Nigeria. This is in spite of the fact that, by all standards, he is a bright, ‘stubborn’ and academically brilliant student who graduated with top honours in Quantity Surveying from the Ahmadu Bello University(ABU), Zaria. Unlike some politicians in the present dispensation, El-Rufai carries no certificate baggage.
As years gradually went by, El-Rufai became a rising star and a constant mention in public and private sector debates. His passion for public service and nimble mind have never been in doubt. He began to be seen and warmly embraced by influential politicians as a courageous, high-minded, wonkish realist with a political heft. More juicy offers were beckoning. Not long, he was appointed as the boss of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) by then President, Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 to spearhead the privatisation of government-owned corporations. In 2003, Obasanjo appointed him Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. It was a measure of his formidable influence and hard work. The stars seemed aligned in his favour. In 2015, he was elected governor of Kaduna state, re-elected in 2019. His fingerprints are in many government reforms. As someone said jocularly, “when El-Rufai takes off his cap, someone could be in for a rough ride”. Simply put, the story of El-Rufai is not one of those stories untold. His exploits in politics are not an area yet unexplored. It’s a soaring story that offers a sort of grab bag, eye-catching ideas.
As you know, times are everything but normal in the greasy pole of Nigerian politics. ‘Friends today, enemies tomorrow’. It’s about the unpredictable nature of human relationships, betrayal and shifting loyalty. So, is the story of Malam Nasir El-Rufai. It comes with triumphs, travails and controversies. For some time now, reports about El-Rufai have been hugging the headlines. Some have argued that his ongoing trial and travail smell of selective justice and political persecution, and a witch-hunt against opposition figures in the country. For El-Rufai in particular, some say, he maybe be a target for vengeance.
Make no mistake about it : love him or hate him, El-Rufai is a formidable force, a consummate bureaucrat, a fearless fellow. He is not afraid of a fight. El-Rufai is cast in the mould of a gadfly, a constructive force. Any politician seeking power will like him to be on his side when things go tough. President Bola Tinubu confirmed that much during his campaign in Kaduna ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Captured on camera and live television, Tinubu said he cherished having El-Rufai by his side. Tinubu did assure that if he wins the 2023 presidential, El-Rufai would be on his Cabinet. But things have since fallen apart between the President and El-Rufai. A good leader should keep his promise. And you ask, what triggered the ongoing conflict between the two prominent politicians, to the extent that El-Rufai is currently in custody, awaiting trial. Cast your mind back to the screening of ministerial nominees by the Senate in 2023. For El-Rufai, it was a moment he had been waiting for as a ‘reward’ for good job done for Tinubu’s victory. The Senate thought otherwise. His nomination was rejected. El-Rufai was disappointed. And rightly so. He felt betrayed by the president. The broader struggle is to diminish El-Rufai’s political fortunes and reputation.
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He predicted his arrest before it happened. Days later, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him for interrogation on Feb 16. He voluntarily reported to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja. He was detained for days. His family and lawyer said he suffered nose bleeding, denied access to his wife who brought him food. Earlier, the Department of State Services (DSS) had filed criminal charges against him in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 . It was all about allegations of telephone tapping conversation of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. The DSS failed to arraign him. This forced the presiding judge to adjourn the case till April 23, 2026. However, the EFCC granted him administrative bail. But he was re-arrested immediately by armed operatives stationed near the office of the anti graft agency. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has since confirmed that El-Rufai is in its custody in “connection with ongoing investigation”. The agency claims that”wire-tapping equipment” was found in El-Rufai’s Abuja resident. His family has refuted that claim. El-Rufai is still in ICPC custody as of today. Global best practices demand that a suspect is believed to be innocent until otherwise proven guilty. No doubt, El-Rufai is not a saint. And this writer is not defending any allegation of crime purportedly committed by any individual or politician. It’s about justice, speedy trial and fair hearing Politically motivated persecution is unacceptable. It runs contrary to the tenets of our Constitution. Those gloating that El-Rufai deserves his present travails, are missing the point. His persecution could be a distraction from the present misgovernance in the country. The same applies to the prosecution Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
There could many other opposition figures marked for persecution. Mr. Peter Obi, ADC presidential hopeful, had recently cried out that his businesses and family members are being threatened. He escaped assassination attempt in Benin City, Edo state last month. The same complaint by former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi and Aminu Tambuwal, all prominent members of the opposition ADC. The disruption of ADC event in Bakassi, Cross River by thugs could be a red flag for worse things ahead. ADC says it’s a plot to make president Tinubu sole candidate in 2027. The pattern seems established. Nobody knows who will be next if El-Rufai is taken down in the opposition camp. El-Rufai is not worse than the rest of the politicians, and former state governors, some of them, in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). What is critical is due process in the prosecution of any suspect. Fact is, if El-Rufai has remained in APC, if he has not defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), he most likely will not be ‘facing the law’ today. Perhaps Senator Adams Oshiomhole was right, when said some years ago, that, ‘once you join the APC, your sins are forgiven’. That makes mockery of justice and good governance. It promotes political persecution and selective justice. Even in detention, El-Rufai says his spirit remains unshakeable. In one of the two statements he wrote in ICPC custody, he casts himself as a “casualty of political victimisation”, only being investigated because of his membership of the opposition ADC.
He described the ADC as the “only surviving opposition political party in Nigeria” today. Many well-meaning Nigerians and organisations have spoken up against his continued detention without trial. It violates Nigerian laws and international conventions. According to renowned banker, Atedo Peterside, it’s unbelievable and unconscionable that respected government agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC and the DSS, seem to have conspired to incarcerate someone for over a month without charging him to court. Whatever view anyone may hold against El-Rufai, in particular, the 2019 detention of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, his continued detention does not warrant trampling on his constitutional rights. It devalues Nigeria’s democracy and makes the citizens feel they are living in an authoritarian, fascist state.
Last week, President Tinubu said he was committed to sustaining democracy, the rule of law and unity in Nigeria. Speaking during an inter-faith breaking of fast with members of National Working Committee(NWC) of APC, and the leadership of the Inter-Party Advocacy Council(IPAC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu described himself as a “die-hard democrat”. He said that under his watch, democracy and the rule of law will thrive. Is this a deception? Or it came from the head, and not from the heart? He should walk the talk. Does his party chieftains share his view? As the president was giving his assurance, in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, went off the handle with a wagging tongue. He boasted that the “opposition parties will remain in confusion till after 2027 elections”. That has raised anxiety in opposition camp. Akpabio spoke at a reception for the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu. Can this be a danger signal of a one-party state in the making, starting with the dismantling of all opposition parties? Time will tell. If President Tinubu means what he said about strengthening democracy in Nigeria, persecution of perceived political enemies shouldn’t be on the cards. What ICPC is doing to El-Rufai should be a litmus test, and indeed, a warning that if fair trial and the rule of law do not prevail, any of the security agencies can, at will,pick up anyone for criticising the government and dump the person in custody as long as it pleases. That’s an invitation to anarchy, and, perhaps the final nail on Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy.
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