By Lanre Adewole
29th August 2019, then Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai violently dragged his former friend and estranged political associate, Shehu Sani, after he masterminded Sani’s re-election loss, as senator, representing Kaduna Central.
Speaking when visited by the Kpop Ham Malam DanladiGyet Maude, El-Rufai said, “We have kicked out Shehu Sani, who has now become a blogger and Uthman Hunkuyi who has now relocated to China with his family for not giving the people of Kaduna State the opportunity of getting the loan that will help in improving the lots of Kaduna people.”
In fact, a year earlier, El-Rufai had publicly cussed Sani and two other senators representing the state then, for their unyielding opposition to the World Bank $350 million loan offer to the state. Sani, who led the united disavowal, had predicted economic collapse of the state under a new helmsman, if el-Rufai was allowed to have his way and the loan.
After emerging the governor-elect of Kaduna, I had a chance encounter with today’s incumbent Governor Uba Sani and then Senator Sani who made the El-Rufai loan possible, after the other Sani, was kicked out and forced to be more active on the internet.
After saluting him, standing on a floor of a hotel, for close to 20 minutes, we discussed the politics and the future of the state, the battle of brothers between the sacked Sani and El-Rufai and how three of them, grew up in activism and bonded in politics before the loan asunder.
I will spare the details of his withheld opinion of his predecessor and somewhat godfather but he believed the other Sani, mismanaged their fiery friend.
Now, with what is playing out under him as today’s governor and the realization of the impacts of his indulging act of aggressively pushing for the loan for El-Rufai, can Uba Sani still sincerely castigate Shehu’s management of El-Rufai and his loan request?.
The “blogging” Sani said in a recent interview with The Punch that it was a miracle he is being vindicated so early in the life of the administration of Governor Sani over the loan, and he can actually dance samba as the man who saw tomorrow. Maybe Governor Sani, then as senator, wasn’t also completely blind to the tomorrow that has arrived today with shocking allegations of official corruption and mismanagement of Kaduna commonwealth by El-Rufai, including the loan, he helped facilitate, but likely shawled by friendship allegiance and shackled by political expediency of the time, when the loan practically became a test of loyalty for El-Rufai, as the then party leader in the state.
If it were to be in a political ecosystem like America or United Kingdom, the stench oozing from the alleged N423 billion the administration of Uba Sani is accusing El-Rufai of mismanaging in his eight years as governor, would be enough to crown Shehu Sani the next governor of the state on the platform of any political party or even as an independent candidate, considering the complicity of the incumbent, but Nigeria is what it is.
Former CNN star, Chris Cuomo was relieved of his high-profile gig because he “encouraged” the toxic workplace his older brother, Andrew, had made of New York Government House as governor, and his history of sexual predatory. The siblings were simultaneously cancelled.
I have in possession, and have read El-Rufai’s memoir, The Accidental Public Servant. Most of the claims concerning others, had been thoroughly debunked since its publication in 2013, leaving the 627-page book almost hollow and bereft of credible acclaims and allusions, but the central claim that the author wasn’t set for public service abnitio, remains unchallenged.
Maybe he was an accident that shouldn’t have happened to public service in Nigeria. Maybe not. Historians will have the opportunities of then, now and tomorrow, to see if Nasir (I prefer the Yoruba adaptation of Nasiru, like an illustrious Nigerian will always call him), was a curse or a blessing to public service. I have been to Kaduna State severally, including parts of the hinterlands. El-Rufai is largely credited with the metropolitan facelift, by the locals and even the elites, who loathe him. Maybe, because they see beyond the fawning worship of the local hero by everyday people. But before he left office, he was said to have been so thoroughly demystified that when his son, was campaigning, he had to persuade voters he wasnt anything like his father, knowing how much of a villain his father had become, even when financial scandals had not come into play.
Probes in Nigeria are always motion without movement, when not political. When political, they become a circus. El-Rufai has said his, is political, which will make it a farce and it would be for the probing lawmakers and the Sani’s administration, obviously backing them, to provide irrefutable pieces of evidence that again, El-Rufai has “did” it again.
While the former governor has benefit of the doubt in his favour this time, the benefit of recent history, doesn’t favour giving his innocence plea, a second glance.
Yoruba always wonder why everything vice, vicious, visceral and vacuous, is perpetually traceable to, and locatable, in tortoise (orogbogboki se lorialabahun, bi won banpairo, ohunni, bi won banjale, ohunni, bi won banse eke, ohunni).
Alleged corruption in humongous forms, is gradually becoming the trademark of El-Rufai’s service in public offices and he can’t keep playing the victim, to escape the noose, forever. From the Bureau of Public Enterprise to the Federal Capital Territory and now his state of birth, it has always been stories of missing and misused billions of naira. If we take it that politicians at federal levels are no joy and kill-joy, who are always out to bury reformers and public-benefitting reforms, is Nasiru saying his own, starting with the governor he “made” and lawmakers, most of whom, he handpicked, and all of them of the same ruling APC, are out to get him out of the way? What for? 2027 politics? An election APC needs to go into as a united entity, to escape surging PDP in the state? Why would Governor Sani want to splinter his base and ostracise a damaged but still useful brand like el-Rufai even if he is considering a new vehicle (SDP or Third Force whatever), to slug the presidency out with Tinubu? Is Sani fighting Tinubu’s battle in the state? Is there an orchestration to rid APC of Nasir in the state, considering that the former governor appears not getting over the grudge of ministerial snub of a year ago?
Whatever is the political mix, public money should not be missing without explanation. El-Rufai should also be given the benefit of proper explanation, with every allegation and response, in public domain, for clarity purposes. It is likely Nasir will also wriggle out of this corruption waters again, like the proverbial cat with nine lives he has proven himself to be. But what if the cat, doesn’t get to the ninth count.
Taking his victory laps days back as the corruption saga raises Kaduna’s temperature, “blogging” Sani wrote about banditry in forest and government house.
He can be arcane with words.
