Ex– Governor El-Rufai drowning, wants to take NSA Nuhu Ribadu with him
Ex– Governor El-Rufai drowning, wants to take NSA Nuhu Ribadu with him
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has come under fire from former presidential adviser Reno Omokri, who has referred to him as a “drowning man” who is trying to drag National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu down with him.
El-Rufai is being marginalized in state and national politics, according to Omokri’s comments on his verified Facebook page.
He drew attention to the fact that El-Rufai had lost support in Kaduna, where the incumbent governor is said to have refused to support him.
Omokri also noted that El-Rufai failed to secure a ministerial position after residents of Kaduna raised multiple petitions against him, accusing him of paying killer herdsmen linked to the Southern Kaduna genocide.
According to Omokri, the killings ceased as soon as El-Rufai left office, further tarnishing his reputation.
Shifting focus, Omokri accused El-Rufai of now targeting Nuhu Ribadu, a respected and principled public servant, by resurfacing with allegations that implicate the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in corruption-related remarks against President Bola Tinubu.
Omokri, however, dismissed El-Rufai’s claims, stating that a closer inspection of the evidence provided by the former governor suggests the allegations are without merit.
“In a 2006 statement, Ribadu made a general remark about all serving governors at the time, stating that they were fortunate not to have faced the same fate as convicted former Governors Joshua Dariye and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
“Contrary to el-Rufai’s claims, Ribadu did not single out or accuse then-Governor Tinubu of corruption, nor did he confirm that an EFCC investigation had found him guilty of any wrongdoing,” the statement read.
Omokri defended Nuhu Ribadu, arguing that the former EFCC chairman’s actions were part of a broader strategy to combat corruption among political officeholders, similar to the “show of force” tactics used by the FBI.
Omokri explained that when the EFCC was still in its early stages, Ribadu sought to establish the agency’s authority and create the perception that all public officials were under scrutiny.
Addressing El-Rufai’s claims, which include citing transcripts from Federal Executive Council meetings, Omokri challenged the former governor to produce these documents, suggesting that their authenticity is dubious. He also pointed out that Ribadu’s subsequent relationship with President Tinubu, including his 2011 presidential bid with the Action Congress of Nigeria—a move reportedly facilitated by Tinubu—contradicts El-Rufai’s allegations.
Omokri noted that El-Rufai’s latest move was typical of his shifting loyalties, indicating that such behavior is nothing new for the former Kaduna governor.
“In 2010, he was a vocal critic of then-General Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as ‘perpetually unelectable’ due to his authoritarian past. Just months later, el-Rufai aligned himself with Buhari, becoming one of his most ardent supporters,” he said.
