Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, have intensified their political rift with the two men again exchanging words.
Governor Sani fired the first shots in the latest exchanges when he accused Mr El-Rufai of insinceriy with President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in an interview with TVC on Monday.
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Although the governor did not directly mention his predecessor’s name, his comment was in response to Mr El-Rufai’s remarks at an event in Abuja last week.
The former governor had accused the APC of poor leadership and encouraged the opposition parties to form a united front ahead of the 2027 election.
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Mr El-Rufai, who spoke at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
He said the APC lacked internal democracy and active structures, saying, “I no longer recognise the APC.
“No party organ has met in two years, no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”
Governor Sani’s comments
Appearing on a TVC weekly programme (Beyond 100 Days) anchored by Nifemi Oguntoye on Monday, Governor Sani defended the president’s policies and slammed the opposition and the ruling party members antagonising Mr Tinubu and his government.
“Most of them are foundation members of APC from the beginning and that is the reason why I was really surprised when I heard the coalition of politicians coming together at this critical time to make most of those comments they made.
“I can tell you as a member of APC, we have been engaging ourselves. I cannot say we are perfect— but I can say that most of the people that are making the comments (against Tinubu’s administration) are also members of our own party,” the Kaduna governor said.
“I can say it was really unfortunate because some of them were even calling for people to come out and take laws into their hands, oppose the government in a way that I feel is undemocratic.
“Of course, I also want to make it clear here that if you ask me, when a democratic dispensation, and we have virtually just two and a half years to the next election, and any politician who feels he is popular or he can defeat Bola Ahmed Tinubu or APC —I think they need to go and work very hard and present themselves in the next election, which will be 2027.”
Insecurity in Kaduna
On the issue of insecurity in Kaduna state, Mr Sani said his government has bought back peace to farmers.
“As I am talking to you now peace has returned to many of our local government areas. Birnin Gwari that you couldn’t go before now without military escorts, people travel freely; markets that were closed for over 10 years in Giwa Local Government Area have reopened. Peace has returned to Igabi and Kachia,” the governor said.
Mr Sani also said a bag of rice sold for N150,000 before now sells for less than a N100,000.
“Go and check now, foodstuff prices are going down in the markets and I can tell you that by the end of this year a bag of rice will be sold for N40,000.”
El-Rufai mocks Sani
Responding to Mr Sani’s comments, Mr El-Rufai said Kaduna people will give their judgement on his government at the right time.
This was contained in a post on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, @NasirEl-Rufai.
“Every day I see this governor embarrassingly and sycophantically rambling, I used to wonder why? However, confirming that the Federal Government ‘reimbursements, interventions and grants’ in excess of N150bn have been given selectively to Kaduna by Tinubu, in the last 18 months, now explains everything.
Mr El-Rufai accused the governor of blindly defending Mr Tinubu’s policies, “even when they contradict the reality on the ground.”
“By all means, defend Asiwaju for the conditional cash transfer. Asiwaju has earned it, coming from you. The people of Kaduna State will judge at the right time and place. Have a nice day,” the former governor wrote.
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