Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has launched a scathing attack on ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of hypocrisy, tyranny, and political revisionism.
Sani, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, did not directly mention El-Rufai’s name. However, Sahara Reporters confirmed that his comments aligned with remarks he had made in an earlier phone conversation with Punch Newspaper, where he criticized El-Rufai’s political legacy and recent comments against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The outspoken former senator accused El-Rufai of running a draconian government in Kaduna, only to now pose as a champion of democracy after leaving office.
“When in power in Kaduna, he practised tyranny and unleashed evil. Out of power, he is sanctimoniously preaching democracy to the country he helped to wreck, plunder, and persecute,” Sani declared.
He further accused El-Rufai of a hypocritical shift in allegiance, stating:
> “He demonized the opposition when in the palace and now embraces them in the wilderness. He is like a man who, after being rejected by a woman, resorts to speaking ill of her.”
From ‘Tinubu’s Angel’ to ‘A Man Scorned’
Sani took a direct jab at El-Rufai’s changing stance on President Bola Tinubu, whom he previously supported but now criticizes.
> “Tinubu was his angel until he was evicted from the house. Now he wants to tell the world that Tinubu is a demon,” Sani said.
He also mocked El-Rufai’s self-importance, referencing his infamous short stature:
> “The government is led by illiterates because they refused to hire Professor Midget.”
A Trail of Debt, Division, and Repression
Sani didn’t hold back in condemning El-Rufai’s controversial tenure in Kaduna State, accusing him of:
Leaving the state crippled with debt
Using religion to divide the people
Enriching family members and friends
Disobeying court orders
Persecuting journalists and arresting critics on social media
Allegedly monetizing banditry for personal gain
“He left a heap of garbage in Kaduna and is now preaching hygiene to a country that remembers his dirt,” Sani quipped, mocking the former governor’s attempt to present himself as a reformist.
Frustration Over Kaduna Politics and National Relevance
The former senator also suggested that El-Rufai’s influence in Kaduna politics has crumbled, stating:
> “He thought he would have a puppet governor in Kaduna, but the opposite is the case, and now he is frustrated.”
Sani concluded by mocking El-Rufai’s struggle for relevance, alleging that the ex-governor is now jobless and desperate for invitations to northern public events, where he stirs sectional sentiments.
As of the time of filing this report, Nasir El-Rufai has yet to respond to Shehu Sani’s blistering remarks. However, with the former governor’s reputation for sharp political retorts, a response may not be far off.
With the ruling APC embroiled in internal divisions and Tinubu’s administration facing mounting scrutiny, El-Rufai’s political maneuvers and Sani’s incisive critique suggest that the battle for political narratives in Nigeria is far from over.
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