Group Kicks Against El-Rufai’s Ministerial Nomination, Says He is Evil Nominee

A civil society group called ‘Secure Nation Group’ protested in Abuja on Monday 31 July, 2023 against the ministerial nomination of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, said the former governor is a “evil nominee’.

The protest was held at the National Assembly Abuja, where the group described El-Rufai as a criminal and heartless human being that cares only about his ambition.

A statement signed by Comrade Ahmad Lawal and Comrade Emmanuel EB Godwin on behalf of the members of the Secure Nation Group reads;

“I write to inform the Honourable Speaker House of Representatives that members of the Secure Nation Group on behalf of the good People of Kaduna State and Nigeria in general reject the nomination of Malam Nasiru El-Rufai as a Minister in the Tinibu Shetima administration.

“It is quite unfortunate that the immediate-past Governor of Kaduna state Nasir El-Rufai was among the ministerial nomination list despite his crimes against the people of Nigeria.

“A criminal who is supposed to be arrested immediately, investigated and prosecuted over genocidal attacks on predominantly Shia Muslim communities in Kaduna state. A pathological liar and a self-centred devil who cares only about his ambition.

“It is on record that many Nigerians have demanded the investigation and prosecution of the ex-Governor at the International Criminal Court, ICC, if found culpable in the genocidal murder of many Nigerians as well as the destruction of properties in Kaduna state.

“On several occasions, Nasir El-Rufai was caught in an open propagation of radical ideas of terrorist agenda. Surely, the nomination of this wicked ex-governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, among the ministerial nominees by President Bola Tinubu is a disaster for Nigeria. Nigerians haven’t forgotten the atrocities he committed when he was DG BPE(Bureau of Public Enterprises) and as FCT minister”, the statement stressed.

They further added that; “A man who clears grasses in a single street in Abuja, measuring about 5 kilometres using N2.1 bn, is certainly not a sincere character to national development. He is simply a thief. As the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), about 800,000 residents were evicted from their homes due to demolition exercises ordered by el-Rufai between 2003 and 2007. We still do not forget how he revoked land and re-awarded the same to his family members and claimed defensively that they were Nigerians too”.

The civil society group also said; Nasir El-Rufai flagrantly disobeyed Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the Code of Conduct provisions of the Constitution, which says that; “A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities”.

In 2021, hundreds of houses were demolished in Zaria as the Kaduna state authorities began a major demolition exercise.

On Monday, May 22, 2023, some buildings in the state were demolished by operatives of the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA).

The demolished buildings included schools, a hospital and private buildings in which many have lost their lives and their means of survival. This action attracted severe criticism from many Nigerians.

Another group of people affected by the last-minute demolition exercise are residents of the Gbagyi village community in Kaduna.

Reports show that protesting youths seeking to resist the demolition were shot at by security agencies attached to the demolition team, with many sustaining injuries, and around 8 dead.

One resident of Gbagyi village, identified as Sarah, reportedly slumped and died upon hearing of the demolition.

El-Rufai had attempted to demolish the Gbagyi Village in the past, though he was restricted by a court order.

A resident identified as Haruna said El-Rufai nullified all building approvals obtained prior to the court case.

“Following the court judgment in favour of the Gbagyi Village community, El-Rufai asked us to fill a form for regularisation at the cost of N20,000, and the majority had done that.

“Again, just about 10 days ago, KASUPDA brought a letter that el-Rufai had ordered that all buildings approvals obtained before the court case are null and void, asking us to start processing new building approvals and new building plans with dates not earlier than May 2023,” Haruna was quoted as saying.

Why would this kind of heartless criminal be part of a ministerial nomination in a country that wants a better future for its people?