…He Has Rights To Express His Opinions, Says Lawson
National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA), Chief Kenneth Udeze, has condemned accusations against former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, by pro-Tinubu groups, insisting that the former governor’s statement emanated from his knowledge as an insider.
Udeze, who spoke with Sunday Independent, noted that the comment made by the former governor has given credence to opposition political parties in the country.
Recall that the Joint Action on Democracy (JAD) has lambasted El-Rufai over alleged plot to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
JAD also raised the alarm over a recent meeting attended by Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Nasiru El-Rufai, and Abubakar Malami, aimed at causing trouble in 2027.
According to JAD, these individuals plan to threaten Nigeria’s democracy and should be held accountable for any harm caused to the country.
Its President, Moses Oriri, in a statement, expressed concerns over the politicians’ history of undermining democracy.
Oriri accused them of attempting to illegally replace the government through anti-democratic means, including collaborating with foreign interests and inciting violent protests.
He urged the authorities to watchlist the participants, particularly Nasir El-Rufai, and take firm action against any attempts to destabilise the country.
Udeze, however, disagrees with this allegations, noting that El-Rufai’s opinions were useful comments on government’s actions.
He added: “When personalities like the former governor of Kaduna State comes out to say something, you don’t take it with kid gloves. Incidentally, you cannot take it away from him.
“He has been part of the government and the establishment on this country, starting from the time of Goodluck Jonathan till the time of President Muhammadu Buhari who messed the economy of Nigeria up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government till date.
“He has been part of the system and for him to have come out to make the comments that he made we have to take him and his position serious.
“We in the opposition for instance, we appreciate that it’s happening between the rank and file of the APC which he belongs. I heard him say that despite the criticisms he still remains a member of the APC. He was not saying it on the grounds that he has decamped from APC.
He continued: “This goes a long way to tell Nigerians the kind of one chance we have entered as a people.
“The reason why leaders and critical stakeholders, political party leaders should try and come together to see how they can save this country from this ‘ejusdem generic’ government just like the law will call it birds of the same feather. With this I think we’ll have cause to glorify God in 2027.
“Honesty anybody who believes in this country, who believes in the principle of democracy, should show concern with what’s happening.”
Meanwhile, Femi Lawson, Executive Director, Centre For Public Accountability, has said that the former governor didn’t speak from the point of patriotism.
He said: “El-Rufai or anybody has his or her opinion on the government. It’s not just a right but a constitutionally guaranteed right.
“El-Rufai is entitled to his opinion about the government but for those of us who have known El-Rufai before now, I don’t see his comment coming from the point of patriotism, especially for a man who had wanted to remain in power, especially when you look at the way he governed Kaduna State.
“He governed Kaduna State in such a way that a section of the state almost became ostracised from the state. This is a man who governed with impunity.
“His administration was characterised by a series of corruption which has been exposed by the incumbent administration in the state.
“If El-Rufai thinks that the quality of people who are in government today are illiterate, so to quote, and incompetent, why did he play so much in enthroning the administration in the first place?
“Remember it was El-Rufai that rallied governors in the North to get Buhari to support the presidency of Bola Tinubu.
“In as much as El-Rufai is entitled to his opinion, I don’t see him as being patriotic enough to take his comment seriously because he has a history of impunity.
“He has a history of suppressing the opinion of the minority in the state. He didn’t speak from the point of patriotism.”
