Isa Bashir

Development Economist| Financial analyst| passionate advocate for importance of economic growth and development| Former banker. RTs≠ endorsements. #Arsenal⚽

[David Ornstein @David_Ornstein]

🚨 Arsenal exploring deal to sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. 24yo left-sided winger expected to be gettable for ~€40m. Move for Greece international does not impact #AFC interest in Morgan Rogers or other options to strengthen attack @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/lBe1BINfU2

[𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐚, 𝐏𝐡.𝐃. @Realoilsheikh]

Denying Malam @elrufai bail id just an explanation of the toxic politics of T-Pain. He is the only Northern Politician they can't blackmail not silence. They can't break him.

May Allãh continue to be your strength.

We call on the international community to look into the dictatorship Tinubu is displaying under a so-called Democracy.

@CNN @BBCWorld @AJEnglish

[Hamma @HAHayatu]

Elrufai is being politically persecuted, it is now glaring.

His oppressor should have learnt from history that oppressors always lose.

[𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐚, 𝐏𝐡.𝐃. @Realoilsheikh]

Assuming things like these happen only in the North, that Egi idiot and his cowardly combatants would want to press out necks.

Your mothers are dancing to ₦1500 semovita😩🤦

[David Ornstein @David_Ornstein]

🚨 Arsenal to appoint Arnaldo Abrantes as new doctor after Zafar Iqbal exit. Portuguese left Aston Villa at end of season & starts with #AFC in July. Follows 2 physios making same move recently + #AVFC replacement secured @TheAthleticFC post @SamWallaceTel https://t.co/2I4my0lZnZ

[Mal. Imran U. Wakili (PULLO) 👑 #iSTANDWITHELRUFAI @IU_Wakilii]

A must-read for anyone interested in El-Rufai; it's long but worthwhile.

Reminiscence: Working with El-Rufai in the FCT

By Auwalu Anwar.

Since his voluntary but spectacular return to the country from Cairo on 12 February 2026 and subsequent incarceration by the agents of Emperor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the story of Malam Nasir Ahmad El- Rufai (NAE) has been narrated differently by many interest groups, including his acquaintances, friends, human rights activists, journalists, lawyers and politicians. However, what I found conspicuously missing in all the narratives that I came across is, an objective analysis of his character as an administrator by someone who worked closely with or under him in any of the three public places he administered, namely: Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kaduna State. For instance, the common remarks about his style of leadership that presented him either as a mere sinner or a revered saint, without making any attempt to go beyond the smokescreen of such moral categorization were both irrelevant and unhelpful for the proper understanding of his essential nature as an administrator or a public servant.

How did NAE, for instance, conceive, protect or violate the trust given to him when he served as Director General, BPE; Minister of the FCT or Governor of Kaduna State? How did he recruit and relate with his political appointees, who were answerable to him? What was the extent of his distance or interference in running the day- to- day affairs of the MDAs under his jurisdiction; but especially in the implementation of their capital projects? This write- up aims to frankly answer these crucial questions, with particular reference to my experiences working with and under him in the FCT.

I first came across NAE in 1998 when a mutual friend, Malam Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, invited me to the inaugural meeting of an All- Nigeria Elite Group known as the Abuja Initiative or simply AI, in Abuja. NAE was then working as an economic adviser and member of the Programme Implementation and Monitoring Committee under General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Because of the activities of AI and my relationship with Bashir, our paths continued to cross at that time.

With the formation of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and the emergence of General Olusegun Obasanjo as President, NAE was appointed Director General of the BPE. I later became Special Adviser (Political) to the Speaker, House of Representatives, the purposeful and selfless Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na'Abba in February 2000. When NAE established a steering committee on Competition and Anti- Trust in the BPE, he appointed me as one of the members. It was an influential committee with many respected persons including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, Professor Charles Soludo, Madam Oby Ezekwesili, Hajiya Maryam Uwais and Mr. Asue Ighodalo, constituting the membership.

In 2003, on his appointment as Minister of the FCT, NAE met with all categories of staff and audited all the operational organs of the institution. To his dismay, he discovered that civil servants had all the time to lazy around as much as they wanted for two reasons: firstly, they had thirty- five years to stay in the service; they could also live up to sixty years before retirement. As such, most of them had no motivation for initiative, innovation, or even commitment to the responsibilities for which they were employed.

To change the trajectory, he thought of creating mandate secretariats, which would operate like state ministries and appoint secretaries, who would serve as commissioners. He compiled all his findings, the audited reports of all the sectors and his vision for a way forward into a comprehensive document. He shared copies of the documents with Bashir, Asue and my humble self to study for a week, with the request that we should all think of suitable individuals who would be invited to assist him in running the new structure.

[Ahmed XM @ahmedxm01]

Alhamdulillah.

We successfully renovated 2 schools in Northern Nigeria, restoring 4 blocks of classrooms, toilets and providing new chairs and books for the students.

Every child deserves a safe place to learn and dream. This is more than a renovation it’s an investment in the future.

May Allah accept it and make it beneficial for generations to come. Ameen.

XM Charity Foundation.

[Imran Muhammad @Imranmuhdz]

"If you want to be a nice man, you can go and sell ice cream, but leadership requires you to take very harsh decisions."

- Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima reemphasized today at the Invest Lagos 3.0 event.

[Mal. Imran U. Wakili (PULLO) 👑 #iSTANDWITHELRUFAI @IU_Wakilii]

JUST IN: Former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has arrived at the residence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for a private meeting.

[Imran Muhammad @Imranmuhdz]

Kwankwaso Threatens to Leave NDC if His Candidates Are Replaced as Party Insists on 60/40

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has replaced several candidates earlier submitted by the Kwankwasiyya faction in Kano State over an alleged breach of a power-sharing agreement according to report by Dailypost.

According to a document signed by Kano State NDC Chairman, Hon. Hussaini Isah Mairiga, the changes were made to reflect the earlier agreement on the distribution of party positions and elective tickets between the existing NDC structure and the Kwankwasiyya bloc.

The document was copied to National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson, Kwankwasiyya leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and the NDC North-West Zonal Chairman.

Under the revised list, the party approved the following for Federal Constituencies:
• Barrister Isma’il Idris Sani – Kumbotso
• Nasiru Ali Ahmed – Nassarawa
• Kabiru Ishaq Sa’id – Kano Municipal
• Barrister Dayyabu Jamilu Ibrahim – Doguwa/Tudun Wada
• Muhammad Hamisu Abubakar – Dawakin Tofa/Rimin Gado/Tofa
• Ibrahim Bashir Bango – Sumaila/Takai
• Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mairigar Fata – Gwale
Adjustments were also made to State House of Assembly tickets in Dala, Tarauni, Kumbotso, Ungogo, and Dawakin Kudu constituencies.

The NDC explained that there was a standing agreement for elective positions and party offices to be shared on a 60-40 basis, with the Kwankwasiyya bloc receiving 60% and the original party structure retaining 40%.

[Mufti Menk @muftimenk]

Don't be overly sensitive and take things too personally. At times, people behave the way they do because of the burdens they’re carrying. Be kind. Try and put yourself in their shoes and empathize. If you can’t, be nice and don’t hurt them. You’ll have a more peaceful life.

[Duke Of Nigeria. @xagreat]

Free Nasir Ahmad Elrufai

[Sara @piousdeenn]

Get rich. build masjids. feed orphans. that’s the vision. in shaa allah

[Sarki. @Waspapping_]

Sirrin Samin Nasara

— Sheik Jafar Mahmud Adam

[Sky Sports News @SkySportsNews]

BREAKING: Brighton announce signing of winger Zadok Yohanna from AIK Stockholm on a five-year contract 🚨

[𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐚, 𝐏𝐡.𝐃. @Realoilsheikh]

Unpopular opinion:

Islam will dominate Nigeria and the world, and the remaining disbelievers would see reality when Jesus Christ returns as a Muslim and denounce those worshipping him.

[Ahmed XM @ahmedxm01]

Let’s start afresh again. Starting On Monday.

$500k to $1M

[Mufti Menk @muftimenk]

People have become more self-centered. They don’t try to understand the feelings, needs & problems of others. They’re keen on satisfying their own needs, even by hurting others. Don’t let up. Continue spreading values of honesty, sincerity, integrity & compassion.

[𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐚, 𝐏𝐡.𝐃. @Realoilsheikh]

The @inecnigeria leak and the Malam @elrufai Case: A Case of Consistency.

This single event again exposes the hypocrisy in @officialABAT's govt & the selective judgement that this govt identifies with.

@OlayinkaLere @GovWike @UN @BBCWorld @AJEnglish

[Isa Bashir @IsaBashir9]

@HAHayatu 😂😂😂