El-Rufai: A diminutive leader with a very small mind, by Kola Amzat 

The first assignment that launched Mallam El-Rufai to national consciousness was his appointment as Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). That was during the inglorious PDP regime of Obasanjo/Atiku between 1999 and 2007. 

But, the million dollar question remains: How did he get appointed to that exalted and very sensitive office with the plethora of damning issues surrounding his recent outbursts, a development that has completely given him out that, in a decent clime, personality like him has no business whatsoever, in contemporary governance.    

No wonder, why he sold Nigeria out to political merchandisers! 

He and his accomplices practically cleaned Nigeria out, in a better forgotten project referred to as “DISPOSAL OF UNDESIRABLE NATIONAL ASSETS” 

For the avoidance of doubt, he collaborated to sell about 80-85% of those national assets and historical monuments to the then VP-Atiku Abubakar and his allies, at a very ridiculous prices, fondly called GIVE AWAY prices in Financial Management. 

Of course, he got away with this national disaster because he belonged to the inner caucus of that government. 

Instead of throwing him out of that government, PDP rewarded him with ministerial appointment as the then helmsman of FCT, Abuja. 

His regime brought immeasurable pains and tribulations to residents of the federal territory. He wantonly demolished properties of high octane, seized lands which were later allotted to his cronies, as well as acted throughout in that office, as if he were Emperor. To sum it up, his era as FCT minister was a monumental disaster.

It’s the same El-Rufai who by hook or crook was foisted on Kaduna people by immediate past president, Muhammud Buhari, as governor from 2015 to 2023. 

By the time he vacated the office in 2023, he had constructed a wide gulf between the Muslim dominated Kaduna North and Christian dominated Kaduna North, a badly damaged ethnic and religious relationship that would take decades to rebuild. 

Reno Omokri, a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan recently accused El-Rufai that, while in office as governor, he took delight in constantly in wining and dining with kidnappers and bandits, as well as constantly paying several millions of Naira to the agents of darkness from the government coffer. 

As I put up this Write, El-Rufai has not summoned courage to deny the allegation. 

He was also alleged to have been the main architect of that regime of wanton destruction of life and properties, as well as carnage in Kaduna South for that horrendous 8 years regime of his. 

After weeks of that allegation which already is in public domain, he hasn’t also deemed it fit to deny the allegation.   

That’s the same El-Rufai that is running helter skelter attempting to position himself to run for the presidency of this very sensitive and dangerously diverse country, if not properly managed. 

Zero temperament, plenty of anger, very combustible, very volatile, selfish, self-centered and madly imbued with spirit of self-entitlement! 

With him in charge of this wonderful and prodigiously endowed country, I give Nigeria 3 months before it disintegrates like defunct Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, even, former U.S.S.R.

Almighty Allah forbids!

The crux of this Piece is therefore to re-emphasize and reiterate to El-Rufai and his ilk in unequivocal terms that leadership, particularly for a country like Nigeria is not about flaunting degree in quantity surveying, academic knowledge and intelligence, tin god amongst the locals, recklessly and arrogantly attacking the occupier of the nation topmost office, insolence and grandstanding.

Rather, leadership of the nation as ours, is for men with big heart, unassailable vision, helicopter view, thoughtfulness, discerning spirit, right temperament, people-centric, men that could earn trust & confidence of political class and generality of Nigerians, men that have the innate capacity to maintain and foster unity and togetherness amongst 300 diverse ethnic groups across the country, and of course, leaders that would maintain & sustain the territorial integrity of our dear country.

Does El-Rufai has trust and confidence of the political class? No! Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa state and one of Nigerian illustrious sons recently told him that, it’s the height of insolence for El-Rufai to invite PDP members to join him in SDP, where he has frustratingly ported. 

The former foreign affairs minister also affirmed that, he does not have the temperament to lead an octopus like Nigeria.  

The governor of his state and all who is who in today’s Kaduna politics, as well as those who defected to other parties on account of El-Rufai draconian regime while he was in charge and have staged a comeback to APC have affirmed to him, that his political chapter in the state is closed.

Arrogantly, El-Rufai, as if he is the founder and owner of SDP has sent unwarranted and undesirable message for the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi etc to join him in SDP with a view to collaborating with him, to halt the re-election of President Tinubu, a message that some of them considered childish and provocative.

Meanwhile, after El-Rufai visited the immediate past president, his widely known political benefactor, in his Daura home ostensibly to alert retired general of his new political base, the former president few days later openly REAFFIRMED his unalloyed loyalty and total dedication to APC, as well as the Tinubu government, further stated that the party did him eternal honour by offering him platform to ascend to lead the country for 8 years, a gesture he confirmed would stay in his memory for life. He patriotically declared that, it’s a paid back for APC to attract his maximum support. 

The implication of this development is that, El-Rufai would soon realize that, he’s practically on his own, as he’s already appearing as a ‘fish thrown out of ocean” 

Desperately attempting to make justifications for defecting to SDP, he made spirited efforts that the president has not replicated his awesome performance in Lagos at federal level, which according to him, was the main reason why the APC leadership chose him to lead Nigeria. 

At this juncture, this writer therefore poses the followings to El-Rufai:

The former Kaduna governor is obviously blinded to infrastructural development in Abuja in all gamut-roads network, airport rehabilitation, schools, medicals, even security.

The present administration have boldly engaged in major infrastructure projects all around the country. These include roads and bridges construction, huge investments in railways, power generation, as well as oil and gas developments. The audacious Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, as well as Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects signpost government spirited efforts in this direction. 

The former DG, BPE has refused to pay attention to these.

He’s obviously oblivious of the fact that, 3 of the hitherto forgotten nation Refineries are now alive, already producing petroleum products on daily basis. He’s not interested on account of envy, pride and jealousy. 

He’s pretending to acknowledge the fact that, peace has returned to most of northern parts of the country, including his home state, where he caused immeasurable security problem for the locals while romancing and paying fortunes to bandits & kidnappers, simply on account of investment of huge resources by president to neutralize criminality in the regions.

He’s closed his mind to Local Government Autonomy, as well as substantial increase in FAAC allocation to state and local governments to enable them cause revolution in infrastructural developments, improve medical facilities, significantly lift the state of education at all levels, as well as empowering Nigerians in all cadres at local level.

He’s refused to appreciate that Nigeria oil production has significantly moved from about 1.2 million barrel/per day to about 1.85 million barrel/day as a result of security architecture established in the Niger Delta deep sea by the president. Related to this was the inflow of Foreign Direct Investments of over $500 million already signed and consummated. He hasn’t bothered to acknowledge this.

He’s not bothered by the revolution on-going in the ministry of communication and digital innovation, where teeming Nigeria youths are undergoing intense training, AIs and capacity building aimed at making them global IT and digital entrepreneur of them.

Because he’s distracted, he’s refused to pay attention to creation of Development Commissions for all the geo-political zones including his North West, an initiative aimed at heralding genuine development in all gamut in those zones.

The president courageously drew curtains on the regime of fuel subsidies, as well as closed the chapter of era of Multiple Foreign Exchange Systems, two hydra-headed challenges that had hitherto constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our nation and impeded our economic development and progress.   

The reforms has signaled positive economic outlook for 2025, with the strengthening of Naira, coupled with consecutive quarters of foreign trade surpluses, as well as decreasing in fuel prices. 

El-Rufai has refused to acknowledge the wonderful progress that have been made in the economy.

The stock market recently hits ₦67 trillion market capitalization mark, an unprecedented record in the nation annals, an indication of creating trillions in wealth, and a surge in foreign investments eloquently demonstrating renewed trust and confidence in Nigerian economy.

The aggregate government revenue is more than doubled, increasing by over ₦9.1 trillion in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in year 2023.

Another milestone achievement of the present administration is reduction in REVENUE to DEBT SERVICE RATIO from 97% to 68% in the last 15 months. 

The above very positive developments don’t interest him.

Students in tertiary institution are not left behind in government programs and plans, with the approval of over ₦95.6 billion to access in order to fund their individual educational aspirations.

The angry man is not bothered that the government has begun the implementation of ₦70,000 minimum wage, a remarkable development that has improved the well-being of Nigerians workers across the land. 

There are plethora of incentives for farmers aimed at increasing food production, as well as huge investments on mechanized farming such as tractors and planters, for the same purpose.

Just within 2 years of this administration, about 240,000 jobs through Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises funding have been created. 

Consumer Credit Corporation has been established with over ₦200 billion take of grant to empower Nigerians to acquire essential products without the need for immediate cash payments, making life easier for millions of households around the country.    

His eyes are also closed to these.

Another milestone achievement of Tinubu presidency is the Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, an awesome initiative launched to power the transportation sector essentially to reduce costs. The president affirmed that this initiative has capacity to save over ₦2 trillion a month, being used to import PMS and AGO.              

The audacious 2025 Appropriation Bill of ₦54.99 Trillion is also projected to reduce inflation from 34.6% to 15%, by significantly increasing food production, as well as promoting the local manufacturing of essential drugs and medical supplies. It’s instructive to note that, prices of staple foods have already been coming down, as projected.

He has refused to capture the unprecedented Appropriation Bill in his records.

We expect him to make other propaganda, after reading this piece and fantastic achievements of federal government contained therein.

He’s also flying another kite about President Tinubu’s Chicago certificate.

In his moment of desperation, he has forgotten that Supreme Court has ruled and adjudicated on that. Any other thought on this should die a natural death in El-Rufai belly.   

The fact remains that, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is already on his way to political extinction.

He would forever rue and cause the day he ever started this “Roforofo fight”   

He won’t survive it!

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.