Why I visited Jos every week 40 years ago – El-Rufai

Former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday revealed that personal ties dating back four decades kept him visiting Jos every week, even before his entry into public service.

El-Rufai made the disclosure in Jos at the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Contact and Mobilisation Office, where he also spoke on the party’s prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.

El-Rufai said his frequent trips to Plateau State began 40 years ago when his fiancée, now wife, served in Jos during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year.

“Forty years ago, I was visiting Plateau every week because my fiancée did her National Youth Service here in Jos. Even after marriage we visited regularly for weekends,” he said.

He added, however, that the state had experienced significant decline since those early years.

“But since then, things have gone in the wrong direction in Jos, Plateau. I hope with better leadership at the state and national level, we will be able to unite people across ethnic and religious lines so Plateau can return to the Home of Peace and tourism we knew.”

Speaking on national politics, El-Rufai criticised both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying Nigerians were seeking an alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.

He dismissed the wave of defections by governors as insignificant compared to the mood of the electorate.