To our friends in the international community,
Many of you may not fully understand what is currently happening in Nigeria, but what is being done to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai should worry anyone who believes in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Without an iota of doubt Mallam El-Rufai was one of the key political figures who helped significantly and brought President Bola Tinubu to power in 2023. But shortly after this government came into office, political differences emerged, and ever since then, the machinery of the state appears to have been turned against him.
For years, they have investigated him and virtually everyone associated with him from 1999 till date. Yet after all these investigations, they still detained him for 40 days without charges. Forty days. No formal accusation, no trial, nothing.
When public pressure mounted, they eventually filed charges many Nigerians consider weak and politically motivated, and despite the fact that he voluntarily returned from abroad to face the case and prove his innocence, he was repeatedly denied bail while the case suffered endless adjournments.
The cruelty became even more painful when he was denied the opportunity to say goodbye to his dying mother. Imagine that. A son unable to see his biological mother one last time before death because of politics and abuse of power.
Now, He is being denied food and proper medical care in detention. I believe this goes beyond political persecution into something far darker and more dangerous. You cannot deny a 64 year old man food and medical attention unless the intention is to destroy him.
Sadly, many Nigerians no longer have confidence that the courts can independently protect citizens in politically sensitive cases. Institutions that should act as safeguards increasingly appear compromised or intimidated.
We are calling on human rights organizations, democratic institutions, foreign observers, and all people of conscience to pay attention to what is happening in Nigeria. Silence in moments like this only emboldens abuse.
Today it is Nasir El-Rufai. Tomorrow it could be anyone who disagrees with those in power.
@amnesty@HURIWA_NIGERIA@USinNigeria@FRANCE24@FranceInNigeria@CaNigChamber@Jim_Jordan@RepRileyMoore@TrumpWarRoom@realDonaldTrump@amnestyusa@AmnestyNigeria@sowore
If it were up to me, Nasir El-Rufai would be my preferred candidate for the presidency and I say this with all due respect to others in the race.
Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore his track record. From his days at the Bureau of Public Enterprises to serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, and later as Governor of Kaduna State, he has consistently shown capacity for tough decision-making and governance.
Nigeria doesn’t just need popularity right now it needs competence, structure, and someone who understands the system deeply. El-Rufai has proven he can make hard choices, even when they are unpopular.
Dear @ProfIsaPantami
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I want to commend you for your attempt to reconcile MNE & US, indeed, as a cleric and a well meaning Nigerian that you are, your gesture is noble and in line with the teachings of Islam.
However, you are wrong to use this opportunity to reconcile them. Here's why;
Malam Nasiru El-rufai lost his mother barely 72 hours before your reconciliation of them. Losing a parent is indeed a very painful experience that leaves a man vulnerable and broken.
Prior to that, he had been in detention for more than 30 days during which he was denied his freedom, access to his family and opportunity to perform his ibada in a congregation like he normally does and maybe go to Umrah since he is capable. This injustice is why he missed the opportunity to be with his mother in her final days. It is unforgivable, but as Muslims, we are encouraged to forgive each other.
Malam Nasiru @elrufai has faced persecution, unlawful search of his residence, harassment and intimidation right from the day he returned from Egypt and has since been under the microscope for alleged misappropriation which he was not allowed any opportunity to defend himself.
Respectfully Sheikh, you had every opportunity to speak for Malam, to bring H.E Uba Sani to order and to remind him of what you preached about today. You have access to them and you could've done so to bring an end to this enmity and encourage unity for national progress... Yet you did not, maybe you did, but there is no information that suggested so.
Ambushing MNE at his most vulnerable moment is unfair to him and to his family, capitalizing on the passing of his mother is wrong and Sheikh, you know it is wrong.
If you must, you could mediate between them in private and reconcile their differences without putting him in a situation where if he refuses to say he forgave Uba Sani, he becomes babban gwaza who would not forgive his junior.
You put Malam in an impossible situation. Malam would prefer to let this play out, to let the ICPC complete its investigations and court cases until the court throws the case out because it is lacking evidence. This stunt you pulled could ultimately interfere with the process and it will be perceived as though Malam's case was dropped because you intervened.
Malam and his legal team have worked out different scenarios and whichever one played out, they would emerge victorious... This scenario was not calculated and your interference did not help Malam at all.
Once again, I must commend you for doing what you felt was right even though the timing was not right and the event was not right... May Allah SWT forgive us all, we are only humans after all.
May Allah SWT have mercy on her, on all our loved ones that we lost and may He grant us all Aljannatil Firdaus.
Another day, another attack, another victims who are by the way Nigerians; But govt expects the public to accept the pardon of bandits cos they're Nigerian and can be rehabilitated (after all the damage they have caused).
GOOD NEWS:
Today, the Governor of Zamfara State, @daudalawal_, approved the construction of a 95km road during the State Executive Council Meeting in Tsafe Local Government Area.
The project will commence along the following routes: Yandoton Daji to Chediya, Doka, ‘Yan Waren Daji, Hayin Alhaji, Bedi, Unguwar Joji, ‘Yankuzo, and Tsafe.
In the name of Allah, the most Beneficient, the most Mericful, I had tried to stay off social media to focus on Ramadan, my family and my work on behalf of the excellent people of Kaduna North. But I have chosen to break my silence to put an end to a blatant lie. Attached is the statement in response to the allegation by a Toilet Newspaper called the Nation on a story from their ICPC sources and sauces. The statement is posted below. Ramadan Mubarak to everyone. Please pray for peace, starting with Nigeria and then the world. (Facebook link below).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RE: ICPC’s PHANTOM PHONE TAPPING EQUIPMENT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SILENCE: A STATEMENT FROM THE FAMILY OF MALLAM NASIR EL-RUFAI
The family of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has noted with a mixture of contempt and amusement the recent litany of allegations, falsehoods, and theatrical posturing emanating from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
It is deeply unfortunate that a constitutionally established agency has descended into what can only be described as a circus of chicanery, apparently designed to prosecute a media war rather than adhere to the rule of law. We are compelled to set the record straight and expose the malicious intent behind this orchestrated smear campaign. https://t.co/uAzCD6rsCR