My post on the tale of
three governors, particularly my adverse comments on Nasir El Rufai, the
embattled governor of Kaduna state has attracted me accusation of taking sides
with the people of Southern Kaduna( SK) and being unnecessarily too harsh on the
Governor. My accusers are simply saying it was an unbalanced comment and I was
indirectly accused of harbouring religious sentiments.
If my post is read
carefully my grouse with El Rufai is not because he took side with the Fulanis
at the detriment of the people of Southern Kaduna. Rather my grouses are on his
utterances and actions that had stoked the flame of fire and have compounded
the bad security situation. It's alright if an ordinary Fulani man says killing
a Fulani man is like taking a loan which you must pay back because he is coming
to avenge the death. But for Governor to utter those words wouldn't give other
ethnic groups in conflict with the Fulani in the domain the assurance of
obtaining justice in His leadership. Furthermore, how can a governor admit
paying Fulani ransom not to attack the people of Southern Kaduna and despite
the payment, the gruesome murders and destruction of properties continued
unabated and not a kobo neither relief materials have been packaged for the
victims of the people of SK. Folks there are actions that government take which
are not in order and no matter what government will not accept to have done
them because they will dent its credibility. It most likely that FGN must have
paid huge sums for freeing of chiboks girls but up to now it denies it. CIA had
been figured in assassination of some leaders and the overthrow of some govts.
Specifically in Africa, CIA was alleged to have masterminded the overthrow
Nkameh Nkrumah of Ghana, alleged to have masterminded the assassination of
Patrice Lumumba of Congo and our own Murtala Mohammed, but they will never
accept involvement in these crimes. In part my local govt ie Demsa when Bala
Ngilari was the governor some people in kpasham ward killed some herdsmen.
There was arrangement by the umbrella body of Fulani to attack the people of
kpasham. The Chief of Staff to Ngillari's govt stroke a deal with the Fulani
which he paid ransom and that was the end of the matter. Certain illegal things
take place in govt for peace to reign, but are kept in secret to avoid their
wider implication, but not El Rufai.
I also pointed out the
lopsided appointments made in his government which seem to have frozen the
people of the region as they are marginally represented in govt compared to
other governors before him and that could have robbed on the conflict. If the
excuse is that the people didn't vote for him, I wouldn't buy that because in
2003, the people in other two senatorial district of kaduna other than SK voted
massively for GMB and not OBJ, but Obj gave Rufai who hails from one of the
districts that didn't vote for OBJ the lucrative FCT ministry, while the SK
people that voted massively for OBJ were given minister of state. Obj couldn't
even get 25% of the votes in Kano in 2003, but he gave the powerful position of
minister of defence to Rabiu Kwakwaso from Kano state.
I'm not alone in this
my assessment of El- Rufai as I said a lot people are on the same page with me.
Kindly read this excerpts From the column of Hakeem Baba Ahmed in the nation
Newspaper, on Wednesday, 28th December 2016. Baba Ahmed is an indigene of
kaduna and a Fulani to the core. His thesis tallies with my assertion about the
Governor's arrogance and demeaning utterances that had exacerbated the crisis
"Governor El Rufai personality and brand of politics have not prepared him well to deal with the daunting cumulative legacy of Southern kaduna state.....He has been unable to build political bridges with the region, choosing to operate with politicians without any weight in their communities. Prominent politicians and elders from the region who would have been inclined to work with him and for him have been alienated by his tendency to believe all past is a liability and he can create his world... The governor should engage key clergy, community leaders, politicians and elders from the region and other parts of the state to help identify possible solutions in the long term and to bring down tension in the short term... if he is unable to mobilize a lot more than his officials and security agents and re- examine HIS DO-IT- ALL-ALONE PHILOSOPHY TO GET OVER HIS CHALLENGE( emphasis mine), it will be about him. And that will be even a bigger tragedy, because a major part of the problem sees him as the PROBLEM( emphasis mine)"
I have also been
accused of having a score to settle with the embattled Governor. My comment was
conclusively regarded as personal. Well I wonder why this case of El Rufai
should be personal because I have written volumes upon volumes of flaws in the
governance of GEJ and that of PMB. While I was full of praises for monumental
achievements of SLS as CBN Gov( present Emir of Kano), I had my reservations on
the success of the present CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. I did that based on my
analysis of his mission statement if pursued, he was not going to make a
success his assignment. Of recent I have supported SLS criticism of his Forex
management which just like fuel subsidy is highly infested with corruption. I
had written a an article describing Dangote great exploits in two sectors most
of our lazy and get rich businessmen dread which are oil refining and
agriculture which have high risks and profit from these businesses take years
to mature. Based on these therefore, my criticism of El Rufai is based on the
fact that, just like others, he is a public officer and as a public officer,
concerned and patriotic citizens will point out obvious flaws in any policy
that impact negatively on the polity and the Economy. Avery body has his flaws.
my flaws if I don't change and I'm saddled pubic position, they will impact
negatively in governance. They are loquaciousness, impudence, acidic mouth(
verbal diarrhea). These flaws are not subjected to public scrutiny because I'm
Mr nobody.
Finally i said if El
Rufai doesn't change his temperament and comportment, he MAY( emphasis mine)
not make a success of governance. I was not categorical that he wouldn't
succeed. I said he MAY not succeed. Before you knew it, I was told he is
already successful. I don't know the criteria used, but one of the primary
duties of government is protection of lives and properties. Section 14( 2b) of
the constitution clearly states " the security and welfare of the people
shall be the primary purpose of government." You can now judge whether in
the light of what is happening now in Southern kaduna (where Hakeem Baba Ahmed
quoted above says the area is inhabited by a quarter of people of kaduna state
) is in conformity with the sacred provisions of constitution.
I rest my case, but
will continue with part 2 and 3. Part 2 will contain excerpts from my review of
ELRufai's book in 2013, titled "Accidental public servant" which I
did point out these character traits which have now robbed on his governance.
Part 3 is comparative analysis of the 2 intellectual giants namely SLS( Emir of
Kano) and El Rufai. While the former was able to consign his negative character
flaws that impacted negatively in the past, the latter couldn't do that and is
now haunting him.
These are my opinions
wo which also could have their flaws.
Post a Comment
0 Comments