The attention of Mallam Nassir El-Rufai has been drawn to statements from General Muhammadu Buhari purporting to be responses to the advice he gave him to retire.

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”.

[b]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.[/b]

Mallam El-Rufai respects Generals Buhari and Babangida as an elder statesman. He believes his age, experience and guidance may contribute to the success of any future government. El-Rufai however[b] believes that it is time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude to move our nation forward[/b]. 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
Media Adviser to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai

Can we have a link to this story?

Even Mallam Nasir has seen the light and is now campaigning for BB.

Please post a link to this story

You can check the story out at http://www.234next.com/

Your link is not working. Is it my computer or is this story a scam

http://teamribadu..com/2011/04/el-rufai-exposes-buhari.html


Muyiwa Adekeye
Media Adviser to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai
October 4, 2010


This is from October of Last year and since then, I believe El Rufai himself has thrown his hat in with Buhari!

[size=20pt]El-Rufai: Why I’m Standing By Buhari – Bakare [/size]

Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has stated why he is supporting the presidential ambition of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate General Muhammadu Buhari.The former Minister also debunked media reports that there were moves to reconcile him and Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the Action Congress of Nigeria’s (ACN) presidential candidate.

In an exclusive interview he granted LEADERSHIP, El-Rufai, said, “My belief is that the Buhari-Bakare ticket is the strongest because it addresses the concern of Nigerians for an inclusive and balanced ticket of two very strong and competent individuals. It shows greater capacity, track record and evidence of proven ability than the other candidates, to tackle what I consider to be the five most important challenges facing most Nigerians in 2011, which are insecurity and inadequate justice, infrastructure deficits - power, roads, railways, ports, etc.  Unemployment and youth hopelessness, collapse of government institutions and corruption, and collapse of public services, particularly education and healthcare. It is the only ticket that has published a detailed manifesto with clear deliverables, timelines and commitments. The others are either promising nothing in writing (PDP and ANPP) or just unrealistic platitudes (ACN) e.g. 30 million jobs and 5 million homes? -are they kidding?

On his previous stand on Buhari’s presidential ambition, he also argued, “What I had against Buhari (and IBB) running was their relatively advanced age and fact that they were presidents 25 years ago. I felt they should be elder statesmen and leave the stage. My objection had nothing to do with the competence or capacity to be president. With the choice of Bakare and Buhari’s message of inclusion and teamwork, I have dropped my objection. In any case, I think the issue for me is that the B-B ticket is simply the strongest amongst the four we have to choose from. We have all witnessed what Jonathan can do or not do within the last one year. Nuhu is my close friend and I know his strengths as well as his limitations. Shekarau is just running because he can. O nly Buhari has an agenda, clear message and track record of getting real things done in his public life. Bakare’s track record of social and activism, his courage and integrity and community service are well known to me and superior to that of all the other “running mates”.

Sorry, I'm using a mobile device and the link, after being copied and pasted here does not work. I'l correct that very soon. Meanwhile you can check the site for the story.

well, this is politics for you!!

Adamuhassa:

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.

make una dey expose una self small small

And some kpekere brain go come here and start talking of track record that don't exist

@Adamuhassa

Next time can you at least tell us that this is an old story and that you are trying to show that El Rufai flip flopped. El Rufai has since endorsed Buhari, by not putting the date of the statement, you made it look sketchy.

Say Jonathan/Sambo.

Sai Jonathan/Sambo.

I agree with him