El-Rufai’s travails, by Kola Amzat

After President Tinubu inauguration into office in 2023, there exists no doubt that the Commander-in-Chief was hell-bent to reward Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for his efforts in canvassing support for the president’s victory at least in Kaduna, and in a few other locations in the North West geo-political zone, even despite El-Rufai’s well documented insolence against the president in the past.

That the president fervently desired him in the present Federal Executive Cabinet (FEC) is not a subject of questioning, a development that necessitated the former Lagos state governor to mandate El-Rufai to start constituting his team for the onerous assignment of leading the power ministry.

Therefore, Nigerians weren’t taken aback when El-Rufai’s name prominently featured in the ministerial nominees list forwarded to senate for screening by the president.

But, by the time the senate concluded with his screening, the former Kaduna governor got the shock of his life, as he was totally stripped and derobed of his honours.        

On account of loads of petitions on security issues brought against him by the long-suffering and extremely humiliated by people of Kaduna South  bothering on his blood-stained eight years tenure as governor of the state, senate declared him a security risk and therefore, unfit for the plum ministerial assignment.

About 24 hours later, El-Rufai made his way to Aso Villa and was warmly received by the president.

During the meeting with the president, the former DG of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPP) arrogantly affirmed to the president that he’s no longer interested in the ministerial job, and opted to nominate a Secretary to Kaduna state government who served in his administration to replace him. The president’s response to this indiscretion remained unknown till date.

That signaled the beginning of El-Rufai’s journey from political grace to grass.    

Meanwhile, at a difficult time like this, a discerning mind, imbued with wisdom and tact would engage in deep introspection, re-strategize and fashion way out a new model and initiative aimed at warming himself back into the heart of the president, as well as other key players in the political space that he might have offended, after-all, the crux in politics is attracting personal interests and not personal enemies.           

That’s what younger Betta Edu, a former minister of Cross River State descent is presently doing in her home state with APLOMB, after she got severed from her ministerial job, and in the process attracting goodwill of all and sundry, including the governor of her state.

That’s what Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker, House of Representatives is doing with amazing dexterity after his feud with the president before 2023 general elections.

Equally, that’s what Femi Fani-Kayode and Reno Omokri had excellently done by restoring a wonderful relationship with the president, a development that has earned them ambassadorial roles.

After-all, to err is human; to forgive is divine.

But, not so for petulant, self-entitled and destructive El-Rufai, who erroneously considered himself too big, a political chieftain to be scorned and rejected.

His response to political challenges he’s battling is therefore to start attacking every-one in sight, without decorum and decency, even, including the president.

Before he was docked, he’s reported to have been the only figure who has attacked the policies, programs and strategic initiatives of the government, the most, and in unjustified manners, as well as making lots of unsubstantiated and spurious claims.      

As if the president was the instigator and architect of his predicament at the upper chamber, he has in particular seized and deployed all notable media and political platforms to declare that President Tinubu’s led APC government is a tragedy, and that the president wouldn’t be elected for a second term in office.

Shortly before he was arrested, he indeed declared that the present administration IS GONE and that Nigerians should start bracing up for a new regime at the federal level come 2027.

He has a penchant for speaking with so much finality, even though most of his predictions are hollow and potentially inconsequential.

In his height of theatrics and infantilism, he has suddenly forgotten that it’s only Nigerian electorates that have the final say on the re-election of the president and not himself, or any group of aristocrats.

In any case, El-Rufai’s way-ward political predictions concerning 2027 general elections clearly indicated a deeply uninformed and out-fashion political neophyte, completely detached from political reality, and who is encircled in his world.

Even the blind and deaf & dumb would find it absolutely difficult to reconcile his predictions with the stark reality presently in the nation political sphere, where the president has captured the hearts and souls of virtually all opposition governors (and still counting), key political leaders across party divides, leaders of thoughts, as well as key stakeholders across the country, with the bold and courageous economic and oil & gas reforms of his government, rooted in tax reforms, withdrawal of fuel subsidy, as well as unification of multiplicity of exchange rates, a development that has facilitated the followings:

Sudden surge in foreign reserves, with the present position standing at about $49 billion, covering eight to nine imports.

Stability in the exchange rate with domestic currency continually appreciating against Dollar and other key global currencies. Indeed, Naira presently stand at ₦1150/$

Nigerian Stock Exchange NGX rose to 130,147.57 All Share Index Points and crossed the ₦100 trillion mark in market capitalization, a development powered by renewed confidence of foreign and local investors on the nation’s economy.

For the first time in over a decade, crude oil production rebounded to the point that the nation surpassed its production quota as stipulated by OPEC.  

Nigeria achieved its revenue target for the entire year of 2025 in August, outpacing the revenue projections of IMF, a development that has ensured additional funds for all tiers of government to facilitate social welfare, infrastructures, economic development, medical facilities, as well educational development in all the nooks and crannies of the country. 

The nation’s trade surplus rose to surplus of 44.3% in Q2 2025 to ₦7.46 trillion (up from 5.17 trillion Q1) to ₦7.46 trillion (about 4.74 billion), the largest in three years.

Dangote Refinery has not only lowered fuel prices to ₦821/litre, the company’s production level has stabilised at 650,000 litres production/daily, with strategic initiative to rollout direct fuel distribution to 11 states.

Food prices reduced significantly by over 20.12% in September 2025 from 21.88% in the previous month.

Above are just a few of the milestones of the Tinubu administration in recent times.

Of course, with the present reality in the political sphere, it would be considered as a POLITICAL DISAPPOINTMENT if President Tinubu doesn’t record 70-75% of the total votes cast, as well as achieving landslide victory in all the 36 states of the federation, including FCT, Abuja, hitherto the political fortress of the opposition, during the forthcoming presidential elections.

For Mallam El-Rufai, it’s appropriate he has his days with anti-graft agencies and DSS for the huge financial infractions hanging on his neck like sword of Damocles, as well as his other misdeeds.

He was alleged to have mismanaged and misappropriated a whopping ₦438 billion of Kaduna State treasury during his eight years as governor.

He was also reported to have, in the same manner, misappropriated foreign loan of $350 million that he contracted on behalf of the state.

He capped his misfortune by tapping the phone of the National Security Adviser (NSA), as well as wrongly accusing the same top government functionary of importing thallium sulphate, a highly toxic and colourless/odourless substance only meant to destroy.

The anti-graft agencies of the government and DSS must condition El-Rufai to provide adequate response to the above financial recklessness-both in local and foreign currencies, as well as criminal acts of tapping NSA phones and wrong accusation of importing destructive substances.

Finally, to the few unscrupulous and disgruntled elements accusing federal government and anti-graft agencies of unjust & unfair persecution of El-Rufai, including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who ordinarily should know better as a former vice president, Nigerians are not surprised by their mischief and pretense. It’s instructive to note that it’s the same route of INFAMY that they plied to amass their present stupendous wealth from Nigerian Treasury.

But, it’s important to emphasize that the present administration is determined and purposed more than ever before to pluck all the loopholes of financial leakages, as well as rescue the country from the financial locusts that have no other preoccupation other than to loot the nation treasury, as well as causing disunity, disaffection and disharmony amongst Nigerians through their provocative and destructive pronouncements rooted in envy and pure jealousy.

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.