Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has asked former military rulers, Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) and Muhammadu Buhari, to quit the 2011 presidential race.

Speaking with Daily Sun in Abuja at the Leadership independence conference organized by the Leadership Newspaper on Nigeria at 50, El-Rufai canvassed the enthronement of a new generation of leaders.

“I have great respect for President Babangida. I think he has done a lot for Nigeria. You won’t take that from him. He has made his mistakes like every human being, but people like President Babangida and General Buhari should just disappear. They should give way to a new set of people with new ideas. Young people preferably,” El-Rufai said.

El-Rufai said the whole world is now being ruled by young people and wondered why old blood should continue to rule Nigeria. “Obama is 48 and Cameron is 43 for God’s sake. So, why are we recycling leaders that ruled this country very well or very badly 25 years ago?,” he queried.

El-Rufai said: “I was 25 years old when Buhari and Babangida were Heads of State and I am now 50 and they still want to be Head of State. I don’t understand that. I don’t understand that at all and I call on the young people of Nigeria to take their future into their hands and ensure that in the next election, they vote for a new generation of leaders.

“I think that we will not make progress until we break the link from the past and just move on. 70 per cent of Nigerians are below the age of 40. Many of these young people, the next generation, as they are called, are on internet services such as Facebook and twitter, using Blackberry and if you ask any of these people running for presidency, they will think that Blackberry is a fruit. So, we have to move away from there and stop thinking that this leadership thing is all about us or all about individuals.

We must put the future of the country at heart and give way to a new generation of leadership.”
While declaring that the nation had something to celebrate for remaining united as one country despite fighting a civil war, El-Rufai, however, said there was a lot to reflect about. “As we look towards the next 50 years, I think the principal issue in Nigeria has been the failure of leadership. We have not made the progress that our human and natural resources entitled us to make and it is all because we have failed leaders,” he noted.

On the forthcoming elections, El-Rufai said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would ensure credible elections in 2011. “I have personal confidence in Prof. Attahiru Jega. He is a man of great integrity. He is an honest man, who could not be bought at any price and for that reason, we are all hopeful that he will ensure free and fair elections,” he said.

http://www.naijapundit.com/news/elrufai-s-2010-advice-to-buhari-you-are-expired-go-and-retire

The attention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has been drawn to statements from Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida purporting to be responses to the advice he gave both men to retire.

Since Babangida libelled whole generations of Nigerian youth as being unfit for leadership, age has become an issue in the coming elections. While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. That is all El-Rufai asked of these men who seem to think that their failure to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.

El-Rufai is amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts. Mallam El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT minister was a period of stellar performance in remaking our federal capital. Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerised land registry and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital. Buhari is perhaps one of a tiny few blinded by their prejudice from recognising the quality of El Rufai’s service.

That same prejudice accounts for the baseless claims of corruption Buhari levels against El Rufai. The fact is that Mallam El-Rufai served Nigeria with integrity and has never been convicted of any corrupt act. He is boldly contesting the false charges which the Yar’Adua government filed against him in court. It is strange that a Buhari who protests when unproven claims of N2.5 billion (about US $3billion in those days!) missing oil funds are levelled against him can gleefully elevate similar claims into facts when it concerns another. How would Buhari feel if the corruption allegations made against him by Group Captain Usman Jibrin, then a board member of PTF, are today reported as if they were proven facts? So much for “corrupt background” and “shoddy performance”.

Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded. His insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known. In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal and not regular courts of law. Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance. These are facts of recent history.

The story of counter-trade and import licensing, the cornerstone of Buhari’s stone-age economic strategy and those whose interests it served, is a tale for another day.

Mallam El-Rufai respects both Generals Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen. He believes their age, experience and guidance may contribute to the success of any future government. El-Rufai however believes that it is time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude to move our nation forward. The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership. Buhari and his cohorts may wish to reflect that it will take more than attacks on personalities to become electable. Having seen his version of discipline, Nigerians are not likely to cherish an encore. But they will welcome an engagement with the issues and problems of everyday life that have hobbled the peoples of this land.


Muyiwa Adekeye

http://saharareporters.com/2010/10/04/el-rufai-buhari-should-stick-facts

barcanista:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/1918123_b32ljfeicaivujw_jpeg32b2bb5daf5abb423be6e20d08b70369

The death certificate of the PDP will be issued
February 15 or February 16 2015, while the
Official Celebration will hold May 29, 2015, led
by the Incoming President Muhammadu Buhari
and supervised by the incoming ruling Party APC

If you will open your heart and mind, you will
realise that there are countless number of
Aspirants that are not just better than the
President Jonathan but are light years above him when it comes to effective administration

Bros, I am very passionate about the need for
Change which the amiable General represent. It
is not about Buhari, it is about a man with the
character, passion, and personality of what we
all seek at this point of our nationwood. It is
about bringing the incorruptible and highly
disciplined Muhammadu Buhari to clean the rot
in the economy and restore our security. He was
there for 20 months, he did it. In four years
beginning from 2015, he will do it again. This
man is not corrupt and has never represented
the corrupt elite. Sai Buhari 2015

Btw: #Proudly Ijaw

barcanista:
2015 Presidential Election Result: Buhari is Declared Winner, Jonathan, Mark, others mourn..


[img]http://4.bp..com/-Fp_4Uu2rop4/U2dwW_viJoI/AAAAAAAAxjU/PWaaOymCoo4/s1600/Dame+Patience+Jonathan+weep_tonynwajeipost.jpg[/img]

He is the man of the people. Honest Generals
love him, even the corrupt IBB and Brutal
Abacha respects him.

Integrity is value.

To All those TANs, Jonathanians, PDP apologists
(Ngwakwe mogidi phockphockman brownlord
descartes etc) Obasanjo have this to say to you
"All what PDP is saying of Buhari being
fundamentalist is mere hot lies. They just
fear let‘s go to jail “

To All those that believes in GMB, the
Progressives (Omenka egift obiagelli berem
rawani mynd44 etc) and the Patriots, Jonathan
have this to say to you...

“Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was a true
patriot, respected former head of state &
elder statesman & a nationalist.“

Jonathan is clueless and a fraudster. The people
behind this are Tony Aninih aka Mr Fix it, Amadu
Ali and co. If you look the history of these men
especially Aninih you go fear fear. APC dem
supposed to have seen through the scheme

barcanista:
Jonathan is only deceiving himself. While I applaud the ending of Boko Haram insurgency, I have to acknowlege the insincerity of this government.
Sep 2010- Boko Haram struck.... Jonathan did nothing.
2011_ BH keep striking, Jonathan did nothing
2012- BH continued, Jonathan did nothing. He even said he can't use military against them because they are his siblings.
2013- BH keep striking and killing, JEG remembered to declare State of Emergency. Even at that, BH keep gaining ground.
2014- BH keeeeeeeeeeep killing. A total of 25,000 Nigerians were killed in all these unwanton and barbaric attacks.
2015- As election approaches GEJ remembers to do what he was expected to do since 2010.

I welcome their deceptive rescue move, I appreciate this effort but We shall kick them out come March 28. Sai Buhari!

barcanista:
Thank you OP. Some people seriously wish to re-write history but they will always be shamed. The integrity of Gen Muhammadu Buhari can never be questioned. That's a fact!

barcanista:
The Summary of the matter is that Nigerians are tired of Jonathan. We can't wait to see him humiliated at the polls and kicked out of Aso Rock.
Give
Me
Buhari

barcanista:
This is bad. Fellow Nigerians we should not be deterred. Our PVC is our power, together we shall return Muhammadu Buhari to power.

barcanista:
Bro, there is no way GEJ can remain in power beyond May 29. If he tries anything unconstitutional, we will bring him down

barcanista:
The truth is that Ijaw Best 11 are yet to occupy positions in government. The PDP always bring mediocres forward and shout "Ijaw".
Check out the list...
Alamesiegha was a flop though still did a little.
Jonathan was the worst CEO in Bayelsa
Timpre Sylva was a mediocre governor, and was even stoned.
Dickson is a confused man!
It's no different in Rivers and Delta States. Imagine, Asari and Tompolo are the ones speaking for the riverine people when we have credible and visionary men and women.

Mynd44:
Lmao....

Barcanista, this is quite interesting.

your friends have sufficiently proven that El Rufai can as well change his mind like you have done.

barcanista:
Well, the fact is El Rufai wasn't disposed to GMB before now and said lots of things more than 4years ago. Like everyone else, he has had a change of mind (which I believe should be respected). The APC should act civil and extend such to non APC Chieftains.

Mynd44:
Lmao....


None of you have actually talked about how GEJ intends to win the North espeecially the North West.

Mynd44:

If xyz insults me and I look away does that give abc the right to do the same?

What El Rufai said was careless and it should be reproached and not used to to defend the madness that Fayose and FFK has been going around saying.

These people are actually causing more chances of insecurity if we consider that Fayose actually brought dead former leaders into the mix.

But typical of Nigerians we don't condemn it but try to defend it by saying "xyz has done it once so it is allowed".

you peoplr are so smart

barcanista:
[size=15pt]ELRUFAI'S 2010 ADVICE TO BUHARI "YOU ARE EXPIRED, GO AND RETIRE"[/size]

Alphaoscar:





You have said the worst against GEJ that you are now running after now.

barcanista:
My advice to APC is that they should cease from using FFK's or any ex-APC Chieftains words as basis to legitimise their failure bound political hopes. We all have records of their own pasts and their words against each other when they were yet strange bed-fellows.
We know what Yerima, ANPP and others said of Buhari. Digging up those does not amount to issues but APC should face issues and stop blackmails.
Everybody is guaranteed under the constitution the inalienable right to association and speech. APC should grow up and face Issues
Sai Goodluck >>>2019
btw: Quoting barcanista from now till May 29, 2015 will not change the opinion of El Rufai on Buhari before their new found romance.