Shehu Sani says El-Rufai facing consequences for his actions in office

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, says the detained former Governor Nasir El-Rufai is facing consequences for his alleged wrongdoings while in power.

Mr Sani made these comments on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

In response to Mr El-Rufai’s recent statement that he has been abandoned by his allies, Mr Sani said losing allies is common after leaving power. He noted that it changes how one sees things.

On Wednesday, Mr Nasir El-Rufai complained about the silence of many close associates, colleagues, and family members regarding his current situation.

The former governor is currently held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over corruption claims. He shared his thoughts in a Facebook post titled “My Relationships and the Aftermath.”

When asked about Mr El-Rufai’s comments, Mr Sani reflected on his own experiences.

“I have been in the gulag for a very long time, but it is natural. When you are out of circulation, you are bound to lose friends, and you are bound to see things differently from the way you used to,” he said.

“El-Rufai is paying the price of his misgovernance and his irresponsibility when he was in public office. I have heard many people express sympathy for him, but I say this: When you are in office, always remember that it is a chance, and it is a very temporary chance for you.”

Mr Sani also accused Mr El-Rufai of ignoring the law while in office by frequently disobeying court orders.

“He was in office; he had no respect for the law. He did not obey court orders. He arrested many people and sent them to jail, and today he has found himself in the very place where he took so many people,” he stated.

According to him, Kaduna faced severe misgovernance and the misuse of state power to target political opponents during Mr El-Rufai's time in office.

“From 2015 to 2023, we saw a lot of misgovernance, irresponsible leadership and the use of statecraft to attack and jail opponents in Kaduna,” he said.

Mr Sani mentioned several cases to support his claims, including the arrest of journalist Luka Binyat for a published article.

“There was Luka Binyat, who was a correspondent of Vanguard newspaper. For writing a piece, the government of El-Rufai arrested him and sent him to jail, where he stayed for almost a year,” he said.

He also talked about 89 community leaders from Kachia Local Government Area who he said were detained for over nine months in Kaduna Prisons after protesting the death of their leader.

Mr Sani pointed out the arrests and imprisonment of Islamic clerics from Zaria who protested against job cuts in the Kaduna State Civil Service. He also mentioned a lecturer from Kaduna State University named John Danfulani and Leadership newspaper reporter Maida Joseph, all jailed for criticizing the state government.

He further claimed that members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) have been in detention for six to seven years facing murder charges after violent clashes with security forces.

Regarding the security situation in Southern Kaduna, Mr Sani dismissed those defending Mr El-Rufai, saying many commentators do not know the region well.

“I went through the comments of people about what General Musa said, and if you look at it, 80 percent of those commenting have never been to Southern Kaduna. They don’t know places like Sanga, Kauru, Kachia, Kagarko, Banchiki, Kufana and Ozan Kuzeta. They only read what they see in newspapers,” he said.

“But it is true that terrorists and bandits have been killing people in Southern Kaduna for over a decade without any help from the state government. Not only in Southern Kaduna. In Central Kaduna, where I come from, the state government did nothing.”

He accused Mr El-Rufai's administration of not supporting local security agencies.

“There was never a time when the government led by Nasir El-Rufai provided support for the police, the Army or the Civil Defence, or took any serious steps to end or stop that violence,” Mr Sani claimed.

Mr El-Rufai has not yet replied to the allegations.