Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, has recently made visits to three former Nigerian presidents, leading to speculation about his political aspirations.
On December 11th, 2023, he visited Muhammadu Buhari, followed by Ibrahim Babangida on December 14th, and Olusegun Obasanjo on December 24th.
These visits have sparked various reactions and analysis in the media and online, with some suggesting that El-Rufa’i has presidential ambitions for the 2027 general elections.
While it is common for presidential aspirants to pay visits to past leaders before declaring their intentions, the negative narratives and allegations surrounding El-Rufa’i’s visits are baseless and misleading.
Some have claimed that El-Rufa’i is planning to challenge Bola Ahmad Tinubu and remove him from office in 2027, but these claims lacks evidence and is uncalled for.
It is important to view these visits fairly and factually. El-Rufa’i has a history of integrity and principled decision-making. He played a crucial role in the emergence of the Bola Ahmad Tinubu/Kashim Shettima ticket when many others were against shifting the presidency to the South. These visits therefore, should not be seen as confirmation of his intentions or political plans.
Unfortunately, there are elements within and outside the country that are working tirelessly to undermine Nasir El-Rufa’i’s reputation and create discord between him and the Mr President.
It is worth noting that El-Rufa’i had initially planned to retire after his tenure as Governor, but President Ahmad Tinubu appealed to him to continue serving due to his capacity and accomplishments.
Regardless of whether he holds a ministerial position or not, El-Rufa’i has promised to continue giving his best to Nigeria.
He has proven himself as an elder statesman with a track record of leadership and results-oriented actions. His memoirs would be valuable for anyone seeking to understand his capacity, integrity, and responsible decision-making personality.
It is important to recognize that El-Rufa’i has consistently shown allegiance and solidarity to the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket leadership, which promotes inclusivity and opposes discrimination and injustice.
The visits to former Presidents should not be sensationalized. El-Rufa’i worked under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as Director General Bureau of Public Enterprise and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, making his visits to these past leaders understandable.
The criticism and speculation surrounding El-Rufa’i’s visits to former presidents are baseless and misinformed. He should be commended for his boldness in making difficult decisions and not compromising his values.
The majority of Nigerians admire and respect him, guided by their conscience. El-Rufa’i will continue to stand by President Bola Ahmad Tinubu and remain a relevant and influential figure in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Many prominent personalities across Nigeria paid similar visit and why is so different as in the case of Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, indeed he is not tired serving the nation.
So when president Bola Ahmad Tinubu demand him to make promise not run away from Nigeria, his response is clear as he promised to carry on.
Therefore, Mal Nasir El-rufai already has answered the call of Mr President and stating the obvious is nothing to glare about.
Certainly, the mischief markers,the opposition would latch on everything around him and twist the his recent visit to former Presidents in Nigeria.
But one thing is certain, Mal Nasir El-rufai will continue to be very relevant in the history of Nigeria.
Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai wrote in from Kano, Nigeria
