A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai, who also played a key role in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has listed four mistakes which he said the former president made while in office.

These mistakes, according to him, nearly marred the relationship that Obasanjo had with members of his Economic Management Team.

El-Rufai stated this in his yet-to-be-released book, titled, “The Accidental Public Servant.”

He said in the book, “Many of us felt that Obasanjo made four huge mistakes in his Presidency.

“The first was that Obasanjo had borrowed money to acquire certain government assets. The shares were offered to many government officials.”

Among these government officials, el-Rufai listed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the then (and still serving) Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The former minister said he felt strongly that “as government officials, we were sitting on councils, committees or in the cabinet that would approve some of these transactions.

“In my opinion, even if there was nothing wrong legally with it, there were ethical issues.

“Most of the Economic Team members declined to buy shares and we told Obasanjo that much. Yet, he went ahead, using corporate entities and borrowed from banks and bought some seven hundred million shares.”

The action of Obasanjo, according to el-Rufai, infuriated the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, who he said challenged the President on the matter.

Obasanjo’s second error in office, el-Rufai said, was the third term ambition of the ex-President, which he said was considered asa blemish for all members of the government.

He also faulted his former boss on the fundraising for the Obasanjo Presidential Library while in office and the mistake of handover power to persons who he said had no idea or any experience in the running of the Federal Government.

The former minister wrote, “The fundraising for the Obasanjo Library was one issue on which Oby (Ezekwesili), Nuhu (Ribadu) and I made separate and joint representations to Obasanjo not to proceed with.

“We felt that it was inappropriate and unethical for a sitting President to raise funds for something of which he would be a direct beneficiary.

“I was strongly of the view that Obasanjo should have arranged with his successor to organise that in his honour after leaving office.”

He said Obasanjo did not think twice before replying him that “no one would donate to the project once he was out of office.”

He said Ribadu also tried, and “threatened Obasanjo to get him to cancel the planned event.”

All their actions, he said, came to nought as the former president went ahead with the project.

http://www.punchng.com/news/obasanjo-made-four-huge-mistakes-in-office-el-rufai/

Just four bro rufai?
Holla at me when somebody who can count properly says something.

Kk

Was he not part of the erred administration, or what detergent has just washed him of the blemish? Just because 2015 election is fast approaching, that is why he decides being a saint and white sheep of the Obasanjo's black administration.
Talking about the third term agenda of the then president as a mistake as if he wouldn't lobby to also be in the cabinet again if the third term bid was successful.
Had he done this immediately after his tenure as the minister of the fct, he would be more justified and not now when everybody knows he has the presidential ambition.
Ogede ti wo koko ye tan, ogede ti di igi buruku(banana tree has nurtured the cocoa tree to maturity and the banana tree now regarded a nuisance).

Nobody is immune to making mistakes, crying over spilt milk is a waste of time. Mallam! I'd rather you proffer solutions, instead of finding faults in others, besides, there were/are trillions of mistakes you had/have/will made/make. Let he who's without sin be the first to cast a stone.

You talking unethical practices, meanwhile you took land from people and re allocated it to your cronies and family, that must be very ethical, and Tunde Bakare must be of the opinion you have not sinned, you do well because you help his church to distribute their pamphlets. Very ethical indeed.

“The first was that Obasanjo had borrowed money to acquire certain government assets. The shares were offered to many government officials.”

"Among these government officials, el-Rufai listed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the then (and still serving) Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala"

El-Rufai fail to disclosed that he, along side madam 'Due process' and some of the current latter day activist that served in the morally bankrupt OBJ government were equally offered same opportunities, dropping Atiku and Iweala's name shows the hypocritical part of him.


In the appendix of his new book, Mallam Nasir El Rufai paid two of his aides N10.2 million and N9.7 million respectiveley for 156 days job.

Dr Abdu Mukhtar was paid $437 a day multiply by 156 days added up to N10, 293, 922,00. Aishatu F. Kolo (NYSC member) got $412 per ­day multiply by 156 days, N9,726,600.00...

Talk of an apostle of accountability demanding equity with soiled hands...

Aremu Obasanjo biggest mistake was having as closest aides those people like him. Those people that didn't understand what is governance all about, how to make a developing nation to become a developed nation. People like El Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby (Ezekwesili), Nuhu (Ribadu) etc.

Na wetin be this aboki own sef.
Aboki wey kw book small could be so full of pride. No wonder God hid the knowledge of book from most of them.
Any writeup with Hell Rufai name on it sucks!

D sound of d hurried footsteps, quicken and draws even closer.
He shudders, and cowering in a corner, he labours furiously- teeth firmly clenched and sweat dripping from his brow- he is set to task! A task masked in d guise of patriotism.
365 writing ink lay exhausted on d floor -1 for each day of d yr.
Why must one labour ds much to convince(abi na confuse?) d gullible masses? Walahi i hate democracy! If na military...kai i digress!
D footsteps are near! 2015 is near!! Before dat, history must be distorted and concocted . We shall not allow 2015 meet us with blemishes and unprepared! 2015 is mine to capture. I am born to RULE!!!
I am El rufai, d enfant terrible of d Obj govt. I lost to Yar'adua in d power game in 2007. I shall nt lose again in 2015. I shall rave, rant ,write and tweet til y'all leave it for me!

collecting donations 4 d presidential library is not a mistake, in fact i think it is a masterstroke decision. nobody wants to know yesterday's man once u are out office.

Any wonder why El-rufai is writing a book, it is becos he is yesterday's minister, nobody reckons with him and that is why he has become a mad dog howling in d dark seeking 4 attention.

controvertial Rufai is at it again. For me, let us learn to ignor this myopic and primitive, mouthable bloke. He is just craving 4 cheap popularity. A man that demolished peoples properties when he was the f.c.t minister and still divert and aquire same property is a double-face human being. He is neither a dog nor a bat and Nigerians wil never trust his kind of being

Not news. Nigeria's ex-president Obasanjo was errorneos evil while he reigned. Even this El Rufai was part of the evil, all cut out to make life unbearable for the ordinary citizens!

El-Rufai Should go ahead and keep exposing the dirty deals that went on while he was a minister. but he shouldn't forget to add the ones that he participated in....

It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt

DEAR MALLAM HOW MANY MISTAKES DID YOU MAKE WHEN IN OFFICE?

Rufai is also counting mistakes of someone. What about him that was demolishing and buying properties in Abuja when he was appointed the minister of FCT? Oga go sleep for somewhere jooo.

Sounds like four major looting

I dont think people still recall that the Yorubas never allied with this man for once, and were never in support of his style of government. His number critic was Wole Soyinka, someone from his state, and the Niger Delta people and the ibos still think hes a racist! See how they've turned him and GEJ to enemies and how they attack him for everything hes done in the past. Even the guys attacking the Yorubas most of the people from this region! Still blaming OBJ and his people for all their problems....
Anyways, I never loved the man....I wish him and his defenders best of luck...

Get inspired, visit
www.inspired.com.ng
for your daily inspirational dose!

licensed2k: Just four bro rufai?
Holla at me when somebody who can count properly says something.

Dont mind the clown, his primary school teacher would probably be crying now.

20pounds: D sound of d hurried footsteps, quicken and draws even closer.
He shudders, and cowering in a corner, he labours furiously- teeth firmly clenched and sweat dripping from his brow- he is set to task! A task masked in d guise of patriotism.
365 writing ink lay exhausted on d floor -1 for each day of d yr.
Why must one labour ds much to convince(abi na confuse?) d gullible masses? Walahi i hate democracy! If na military...kai i digress!
D footsteps are near! 2015 is near!! Before dat, history must be distorted and concocted . We shall not allow 2015 meet us with blemishes and unprepared! 2015 is mine to capture. I am born to RULE!!!
I am El rufai, d enfant terrible of d Obj govt. I lost to Yar'adua in d power game in 2007. I shall nt lose again in 2015. I shall rave, rant ,write and tweet til y'all leave it for me!

20pounds: D sound of d hurried footsteps, quicken and draws even closer.
He shudders, and cowering in a corner, he labours furiously- teeth firmly clenched and sweat dripping from his brow- he is set to task! A task masked in d guise of patriotism.
365 writing ink lay exhausted on d floor -1 for each day of d yr.
Why must one labour ds much to convince(abi na confuse?) d gullible masses? Walahi i hate democracy! If na military...kai i digress!
D footsteps are near! 2015 is near!! Before dat, history must be distorted and concocted . We shall not allow 2015 meet us with blemishes and unprepared! 2015 is mine to capture. I am born to RULE!!!
I am El rufai, d enfant terrible of d Obj govt. I lost to Yar'adua in d power game in 2007. I shall nt lose again in 2015. I shall rave, rant ,write and tweet til y'all leave it for me!

[quote author=20pounds]D sound of d hurried footsteps, quicken and draws even closer.
He shudders, and cowering in a corner, he labours furiously- teeth firmly clenched and sweat dripping from his brow- he is set to task! A task masked in d guise of patriotism.
365 writing ink lay exhausted on d floor -1 for each day of d yr.
Why must one labour ds much to convince(abi na confuse?) d gullible masses? Walahi i hate democracy! If na military...kai i digress!
D footsteps are near! 2015 is near!! Before dat, history must be distorted and concocted . We shall not allow 2015 meet us with blemishes and unprepared! 2015 is mine to capture. I am born to RULE!!!
I am El rufai, d enfant terrible of d Obj govt. I lost to Yar'adua in d power game in 2007. I shall nt lose again in 2015. I shall rave, rant ,write and tweet til y'all leave it for me!
Mmmh,20Pounds,I love this!

KnowAll: collecting donations 4 d presidential library is not a mistake, in fact i think it is a masterstroke decision. nobody wants to know yesterday's man once u are out office.

Any wonder why El-rufai is writing a book, it is becos he is yesterday's minister, nobody reckons with him and that is why he has become a mad dog howling in d dark seeking 4 attention.

you dont seem to understand the point.collecting donations for a presidential while still serving as president is unethical.obasanjo took advantage of the position to make people donate which is el-rufai's position.

for me,el-rufai remains one of the shining lights of the obasanjo administration.as a minister,he did what he had to do without recourse to whose ox is gored.those are the kind of men we need in government. the only supposed blemish on his term was the supposed re-allocation of land to his family and cronies however that has never been proven despite all forms of investigation.anyone that has proof of this dealings is free to pass same across to the law enforcement agencies or even post same here on nairaland.in the absence of that,elrufai remains a model government official

Nigerians na waa,

He talks about GEJ, you compalin of hipocrisy, he talks about his master OBJ, u still complain. If he had praised OBJ, you will still complain. What the hell is wrong with people of this days. Should he not talk at all?

juman: Aremu Obasanjo biggest mistake was having as closest aides those people like him. Those people that didn't understand what is governance all about, how to make a developing nation to become a developed nation. People like El Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby (Ezekwesili), Nuhu (Ribadu) etc.

perhaps you would have preferred people like doyin okupe,labaran maku,reuben abati,diezanni maduekwe and the likes of them

derespect: Rufai is also counting mistakes of someone. What about him that was demolishing and buying properties in Abuja when he was appointed the minister of FCT? Oga go sleep for somewhere jooo.

any proof of this?

Maxymilliano: “The first was that Obasanjo had borrowed money to acquire certain government assets. The shares were offered to many government officials.”

"Among these government officials, el-Rufai listed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the then (and still serving) Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala"

El-Rufai fail to disclosed that he, along side madam 'Due process' and some of the current latter day activist that served in the morally bankrupt OBJ government were equally offered same opportunities, dropping Atiku and Iweala's name shows the hypocritical part of him.


In the appendix of his new book, Mallam Nasir El Rufai paid two of his aides N10.2 million and N9.7 million respectiveley for 156 days job.

Dr Abdu Mukhtar was paid $437 a day multiply by 156 days added up to N10, 293, 922,00. Aishatu F. Kolo (NYSC member) got $412 per ­day multiply by 156 days, N9,726,600.00...

Talk of an apostle of accountability demanding equity with soiled hands...

Pray tell what the essence of this information is and how it translates to soiled hands

Adura_ngba: You talking unethical practices, meanwhile you took land from people and re allocated it to your cronies and family, that must be very ethical, and Tunde Bakare must be of the opinion you have not sinned, you do well because you help his church to distribute their pamphlets. Very ethical indeed.

exactly

Maxymilliano: “The first was that Obasanjo had borrowed money to acquire certain government assets. The shares were offered to many government officials.”

"Among these government officials, el-Rufai listed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the then (and still serving) Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala"

El-Rufai fail to disclosed that he, along side madam 'Due process' and some of the current latter day activist that served in the morally bankrupt OBJ government were equally offered same opportunities, dropping Atiku and Iweala's name shows the hypocritical part of him.


In the appendix of his new book, Mallam Nasir El Rufai paid two of his aides N10.2 million and N9.7 million respectiveley for 156 days job.

Dr Abdu Mukhtar was paid $437 a day multiply by 156 days added up to N10, 293, 922,00. Aishatu F. Kolo (NYSC member) got $412 per ­day multiply by 156 days, N9,726,600.00...

Talk of an apostle of accountability demanding equity with soiled hands...

i guess you didnt see this

“Most of the Economic Team members declined to buy shares and we told Obasanjo that much. Yet, he went ahead, using corporate entities and borrowed from banks and bought some seven hundred million shares.”

Adura_ngba: You talking unethical practices, meanwhile you took land from people and re allocated it to your cronies and family, that must be very ethical, and Tunde Bakare must be of the opinion you have not sinned, you do well because you help his church to distribute their pamphlets. Very ethical indeed.

i wonder why people enjoy flogging a dead issue over and over.this issue has been investigated over and over and over and over and it has been shown that there was nothing unethical about the transactions that occured.he didnt re-allocate land to his cronies or families.perhaps you want to tell us that because el-rufai is minister for FCT,his family and friends cannot apply for allocation through the same procedure others would follow

Saintp: Nigerians na waa,

He talks about GEJ, you compalin of hipocrisy, he talks about his master OBJ, u still complain. If he had praised OBJ, you will still complain. What the hell is wrong with people of this days. Should he not talk at all?

He should fvcking tape it shut. Is he so clean without fault or blemish during his tenure.

We shall see where the ranting by El-Rufai leads! He must surely be eyeing a position...

Sam Omatseye knew this guy inside out when he wrote the article below :



A perfect chameleon
By Sam Omatseye 11/07/2011 06:16:00

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is a Nigerian who basks in controversy like a reptile out of water in high noon. It does not matter in what hue or in whose company you find him. He is ready to square up to the next guy. It is all about El-Rufai’s interest even if it masquerades as a national pride. He is one of our enduring peacocks.

He is also a chameleon of interest. Whether as a lackey, a bureaucrat, a protégé, a master, or a turncoat, he is not afraid to stake a claim, and he is always smoking for a fight like a snake backed into a corner. He may strike and he may even be stricken. But boredom is the last emotion you feel with this slight man of Napoleonic ego.

El-Rufai is not about the morality or justice. He is about the fight, the theatrics of the brickbat hurled. He knows his quarry well, so he engages him or them with the gusto of a marksman.  He is amoral, a neutralist with an armour. He shoots but he does not always hit the target. Hitting the target is not important if by merely shooting you set all the birds aflutter and screaming for shelter.

He has done these well in the course of his public career. Now, he seems ready to play the role not only as a critic, but I daresay as a “revolutionary.” That is why the recent controversy over an article he wrote was only a phase in the metamorphosis of this man who understands his country so well. He is our subversive cynic.

Sometimes I think of him the way I think of such artistes in the United States as Britney Speers and Madonna, who have a knack for unveiling the foibles of the system. Many speak ill of them, but the same society craves for a new act in their evolving histrionics. They love them. They hate them. But they want them.

El-Rufai does not have the thespian assiduity of these accomplished beauties. But he does know how to work the society to his own frenzy. He is a vain man, and he is not afraid to flaunt that either. He makes gaffes, and he does not regret that, too. He just has to set the fire on the roof top and he will jubilate in quiet mischief as everyone in the house runs like a hare. Quietude is not what you normally associate with him though. Once or twice, when I have met with him, he looked like someone caged in until he got the chance to talk. And he loved the opportunity. In a few minutes, the roof caved in.

It is in the context that we must understand the recent article he wrote. It was meant to stir, and there was nothing wrong with that if you asked him. He probably did not intend to correct, but to infuriate, to remind the National Security Adviser that the El-Rufai who was in office a few years ago and who stirred controversy over land allocation and corruption issues, and who was in exile, is not about to be coaxed or coerced into silence.

El-Rufai wrote the article and the NSA’s men claimed he got the facts wrong, about how much was allocated to his office, over N200 billion. They said he got it wrong, and they picked him up. One year ago or even when he was the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, it would have been unthinkable to say that El-Rufai was arrested by the security forces.

Yet, they picked him up. El-Rufai says he got his facts from the budget, and he has the right to say so. So there. If he got his facts wrong, arresting him was not the place of democracy. The security forces fell into his hands. Rather than win on the platform of debate, they resorted to the strong arm and lost the argument. This is a system for the force of facts, not the force of arms. Unwittingly, they turned El-Rufai, who once defended a system of feline and corrupt rule, into a hero of free speech. If the security forces had their facts, they could easily have turned him into a public shame. Rather, it is the small man who now looms large for civility.

I learnt they were disappointed that he was a turncoat. How could anyone be disappointed at El-Rufai? A man who is capable of any emotion is capable of any betrayal. So he was once in government. Does that mean he should not take on government? What makes the government sacrosanct? We want more people in government who will lash out at government and unveil its seedy underside.

In the U.S., it is common. A man serves in government and he gives his honest account or, at least, an honest account as he sees it. We saw the story of Rumsfeld, or Clinton. They told their stories. It is an opportunity for us to see how the systems work from inside.

At one time, El-Rufai was the good guy of the security forces. He was the one with whom the Owu chief was well pleased, the one who knew who was safe for Nigeria and who should go to jail. He was the quintessential patriot, and he condemned others for lack of fervour for Nigeria.

Yet if you looked at his career well, you would admit that as FCT minister, he was transformational. He brought order, neatness and even picturesque allure to the city that was falling into an Alao-Akala Ibadan.

So, he did well as a minister. But also as a minister he was Baba’s lackey, fighting his every war and defending the corrupt system and the despotic “democrat.” He once told me in an interview that the time had not come for us to be worried over the issue of conflict of interest in office. Even when some raised uproar over it, he never tried to my knowledge to defend himself.

He served Atiku well when he was his protégé. When he turned over to OBJ and Obj fought with Atiku, he knew where the power lay, so he turned coat and pitched his tent with the Owu chief. It was the amoral El-Rufai at work. He swung without a squeak.

When Yar’Adua took over, he was Yar’Adua’s man before he was not. When Jonathan became president, he was for the meek man until things turned sour. Now he is serenading Buhari  whom we once nudged as unelectable. In an interview in The Nation on Sunday, he said that the man has changed. Changed from what, Nasir? Other than his allegiance to democracy over a decade ago, he is still as inflexible as his ramrod stature.

El-Rufai knew how to work the system, and somehow, it made him into a sort of public cause célèbre. He somehow helps to show us the bad side of the system because he has not been the good side himself. In the way he allocated land, we learned how government shares our resources. From his role as a lackey, we knew how people moved up in government. From his serial betrayals, we understood that playing the harlot is the way to gains. As master, he made people work for him and that, ironically, is how you command loyalists even if you are not one yourself. As a critic and “revolutionary,” he is trying to come full cycle. He is telling us that he can reveal and revel in the rottenness of our system, he being part of it.

He knows how to game the system, draw attention to himself, laugh at us, and still sleep well at night. From the recent fight with the system, he has shown that you can move from being an establishment mainstay to a nemesis of the system. We need more of him