If a vox pop is carried out on the streets of Kaduna on the most hated politician today, chances are that, Nasir el-rufai, the immediate past governor is likely to lead the pack. Those who live in the north especially in Kaduna and had ears to the ground between 2015-2023 were aware of the real or imagined atrocities and brutality of el-rufai.
Since he joined the coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and is facing politically induced challenges deliberately designed to cut him to sizes; commentaries and opinions on the person of the former governor have become nothing short of abuses and demonstrably outright hatred. Majority of those who are glad to take their pounds of flesh for his perceived atrocities against the people are majorly from the christian dominated section of southern Kaduna. They are happy the scourge of their own people is at the receiving end of his own game.
One wonders why the vituperation and anger comes more from the christian dominated south while the muslim north kept mum. It is on record that el-rufai’s first casualties of demolition took place in Zaria. Many Ungwan and properties in both north and central zones of Kaduna were demolished unhindered. However, he found it tough demolishing as he planned in the south on account of numerous litigations against him as a person and against the state. Gbagyi villa where this writer has as a major stake was among strategic areas of el-rufai’s demolition interest.
However, he lost on all fronts, but still defiantly found a way to demolish some peculiar areas of interest a few days before he left office despite court orders not to. As a governor, el-rufai took reforms in the civil service and infrastructural development seriously. Pundits scored him high in the above areas despite peoples’ perception, the governor’s attitude, utterances or general behaviour. Interestingly, the man el-rufai boldly announced that he is not bothered about peoples perception or scathing utterances about him.
Just before May 29, 2023, el-rufai was the Kaduna star boy. Praises from paid urchins, party loyalists and commissioned writers poured in and positioned him as the best thing that has ever happened to Kaduna. The same pretentious eulogies and outright innuendoes exclusively reserved for el-rufai have been donated to the incumbent governor Uba Sani. People easily switch loyalty in politics. And the act is mostly driven by self-seeking favours, scrambles for positioning and of validation. Uba Sani should bear in mind that loyalty is fleeting, therefore, it is where the guinea fowl is being roasted that the chicken should learn what may happen to it on the long run.
Those who now attempt to re-write history as champions against injustice in southern Kaduna chickened out earlier when it mattered most for humanity. They were all afraid and talking in hushed tones when the Agom Adara and Gbagyi Villa incidents happened. Some were even happy that Igbo people will be dealt with in Gbagyi Villa.
In fact, I am not bemused that some people have found their lost voices. Even those who served in el-rufai’s government for eight years are now brave talkers and took time to berate the governor and government they gladly served without resigning. It is said that the antelope only visits to recover money owed him by the leopard when the latter’s leg is broken.
All is fair in war and politics. El-rufai imposed muslim-muslim ticket on Kaduna and boasted about it. He used religion as a weapon for political gains. All these happened because they are political surviving strategies. Peter Obi was once accused of pleading with an influential pastor to prevail on christians to vote for him. It was a strategy. Now many people tend to be in love with the man el-rufai imposed as governor thinking the governor will insult, arrest or disgrace his mentor and benefactor on their behalf. It will never happen. Muslims do not behave that way. They understood what loyalty means.
When one studies Kaduna politics especially that of southern Kaduna; the Biblical story of tower of Babel resonates prominently. They love Senator Sunday Marshal Katung of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi as individuals but have nothing to do with Jonathan Asake – the governorship candidate of Labour Party. The question is, which of the contested two positions was more strategic to improve the lot of southern Kaduna?
Those pretending to protect the interest of southern Kaduna, those who decamped from other parties to the ruling party and many social media outstations writing long epistles of fair and brilliant appraisal of Uba Sani’s administration did same for el-rufai. They are positioning and re-postioning as usual to gain something in return.
That is the extent politics is played everywhere. However, people tend to forget that; politics is a personal endeavour spiced with national aroma – far deeper and a science in manipulating the behaviour of voters by politicians. Since 1999, there was never a consensus on who to endorse for governor by southern Kaduna people.
If there was, a snitch must emerge somewhere to destroy the plan. Many southern Kaduna intellectuals were among the earliest supporters of el-rufai before 2015 – flaunting his credentials on radio talk shows. Dr. Danfulani was at the forefront of promoting the candidacy of el-rufai but they fell out eventually. He was arrested and detained but he now serves the man imposed on the people by his perceived enemy on muslim-muslim ticket. That is politics.
Southern Kaduna people should learn how to play real politics of unity and stop gaslighting el-rufai, any other perceived enemy and stop whining. They should also identify those who pretend to advocate for the good of southern Kaduna but for their personal gains. The zone should unanimously endorse one person to contest for governor in 2027. However, it is then that one will have a full grasp of the story of Judas Iscariot and Jesus.
At a time Isaiah Balat of the blessed memory was almost coasting home to victory as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party around 2003 or so, it was the beautiful woman politician from Kagoro, now in Labour Party who worked against that ambition. She was later rewarded with a national plump job afterwards.
That man one hates with passion and possibly think is a devil incarnate has those who see him as their personal saviour. El-rufai without doubt cannot be said to have totally marginalised southern Kaduna for eight whole years. A lot of infrastructural developments in that area bears the inscription of his name and do not forget – he empowered people like Sam Aruwan, Ben Kure, Dr. Maigari etc. The fact that he is not your spec does not mean he never did anything good.
If everyone likes you; it means you are not good enough. Sugar is sweet but not everyone takes it. El-rufai is in the league of politicians who we possibly hate or like. No matter who you like or support; people have their own choices to make. For those who genuinely love southern Kaduna; it is time for sober reflection. Venting your anger on social media is not the solution to the perceived injustice – political unity of purpose is.
Sunday Onyemaechi Eze, lecturer, Department of Mass Communication and Head, Internationalisation and Partnership, Coal City University, Enugu
