Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State has always been a defiant man who appeared to care less what others think of him. However, his reaction, through his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, that the governor chose to be sober, probably indicates that the withdrawal of invitation given to El Rufai to speak at the upcoming NBA virtual conference really got to the governor.

Surprisingly, El Rufai‘s statement, through Adekeye, was rather timid, very unlike the Kaduna State governor. Why the timid response, you may ask; this may have more to do with the 2023 presidential election. The withdrawn invitation, coming just few days after he was upbraided for his handling of ongoing killings in Southern Kaduna, might just have been too much for El Rufai to bear. An almost certain death to his rumored 2023 presidential aspirations.

For a man rumored to be interested in the presidential race of 2023, either as main candidate or as running mate, two major controversies in the span of three days isn't good for his public perception. It could be a rude awakening because the governor always had influence with President Obasanjo, and now President Buhari.

The fact that he was partly credited by some to be responsible for drafting Buhari to contest in 2015 after the General had declared he was no longer interested in contesting, after three failed attempts, could have made El Rufai to believe in himself as larger than life. Perhaps that wrong perception of himself (by himself) could have been behind why he made statements to effect that a southern politician shouldn't necessarily succeed the current president.

The final straw to El Rufai’s NBA misfortune may have come from Femi Falana, SAN, who wrote a letter to the organizers of the upcoming NBA conference. Falana was able to raise other issues on El Rufai’s antecedents which other NBA members didn't mention in their condemnation of the now withdrawn invitation. While others had concentrated on the unfortunate killings of people in Southern Kaduna, Falana through his letter, implied that El Rufai was a leopard that can't change the spots on its skin.

Excerpts from Falana’s letter:

"You will agree with us that Mallam El Rufai’s penchant for disobeying court orders is inconsistent with the aims and object(ives) of the NBA which includes promotion of the rule of law." He wrote.

This statement may appear brief but to El Rufai, it's a signal to the type of opposition he's likely to come up against, if at all he decides to throw his hat into the 2023 presidential ring. This is further complicated by the fact that one of the strongest allegations against the current president is that he doesn't obey court orders. Hence having another man with similar antecedents, either as President or Vice would just not fly, for many.

For El Rufai, this is just the beginning. If he has been so strongly opposed to speak at an NBA conference, just imagine the level of opposition he's likely to face while trying to sell his candidacy to other professional organizations, pro-democracy groups, pressure groups, christian religious organizations, etc.

That's not all, many of his ‘transgressions’ as former Minister of the FCT, Abuja, would begin to reappear.
Furthermore, his handling of the southern Kaduna crisis mean potential electorates are more likely to view him as an extension of Buhari's 'legacy'.

What an irony

He deserves the embarrassment he got

This is how the cookie crumbles.

His 2023 ambition has been dead since. This NBA blow is the final nail in the coffin.

flyingpig:
His 2023 ambition has become an aborted foetus

Did he really have ambition? I shudder to even think of it.

Very speculative.

Righteousness89:
His Excellency, Mallam Elrufai should be More Concerned with Making Peace with God..

Lol at Christian fanatical extremists

Does this really matter...the guy up there

Those ambitions are at best pipe dreams.

The youths are getting together to change the narratives and status quo come 2023

Check my siggy to be a part of it

Falana is revealing his moronic tendency, the same fool as SERAP Chairman refuses to open SERAP financial records because he like the people he criticize believe openness only belong to others rather.

The same shameless fellow had an NBA president who is being trialed for corruption guess what he has nothing to say about it. The same shameless fellow overlooks the fact that the NBA cannot oragnize a free and fair elections. Sadly he stupidly thinks he has some sort of morality he stands on, this has been shown to be false.

Whatevers becomes of El Rufai political career should be the concern of a failed lawyer who cannot rescue the useless organisation he is part of but thinks he can solve the problems of Kaduna and Nigeria should clearly have his brain examined.

Finally, the NBA has laid down the seeds of its destruction by politizing the crisis in Kaduna and taking on one sided narratives which pretends only Christians and minorities live in southern Kaduna and denies the crimes being perpetuated against Muslims.

JAMO84:
All northern branches of NBA should boycott the useless conference. Wike was caught on tape threatening to kill oppositions in Rivers, he came out and declare Rivers as a Christian state, demolished foundation of a mosque building, hypocrites did not condemn him.


No one ethnic group or religion segment have monopoly of hypocrisy and baseless propaganda, all NBA branches in the north would follow Jigawa's lead. NBA will soon be reduced to a regional association.



I AM DONE TALKING

Wike that has empowered cultism and go as far as demolishing a hotel without any court order is very dignified to those class of hooligans at NBA

watch how afonjas will insult falana here for speaking against a Fulani man because of their 2023 delusional dream

NBA killed it
You people should beef up security before his boys come for you oo

OriakuAmara:
watch how afonjas will insult falana here for speaking against a Fulani man because of their 2023 delusional dream

And the mod will just scroll pass these comment Because the commentator has a hole in between her legs..
Hate speech that deserve life imprisonment

El rufua is a blood thirsty midget. He just got fixed.

OriakuAmara:
watch how afonjas will insult falana here for speaking against a Fulani man because of their 2023 delusional dream

You know them too well. They are beyond pathetic.

Methinks NBA was able to do this, because both their president and DG are from SE/SS. Had either of them come from the demonic wasted side, oh boy, you know even Elrufai would have gotten the chance to decide who speaks at the conference.

Fear who no fear skull miners!

Tomiwa69:

And the mod will just scroll pass these comment Because the commentator has a hole in between her legs..
Hate speech that deserve life imprisonment

Stop being a sissy. She didn't say anything false. Everyone knows who afonjaz are. No hate speech intended.

Stalwert:
Falana is revealing his moronic tendency, the same fool as SERAP Chairman refuses to open SERAP financial records because he like the people he criticize believe openness only belong to others rather.

The same shameless fellow had an NBA president who is being trialed for corruption guess what he has nothing to say about it. The same shameless fellow overlooks the fact that the NBA cannot oragnize a free and fair elections. Sadly he stupidly thinks he has some sort of morality he stands on, this has been shown to be false.

Whatevers becomes of El Rufai political career should be the concern of a failed lawyer who cannot rescue the useless organisation he is part of but thinks he can solve the problems of Kaduna and Nigeria should clearly have his brain examined.

Finally, the NBA has laid down the seeds of its destruction by politizing the crisis in Kaduna and taking on one sided narratives which pretends only Christians and minorities live in southern Kaduna and denies the crimes being perpetuated against Muslims.



Wike that has empowered cultism and go as far as demolishing a hotel without any court order is very dignified to those class of hooligans at NBA

Afonja zombie spotted!

OriakuAmara:
watch how afonjas will insult falana here for speaking against a Fulani man because of their 2023 delusional dream

Amarachi who banned you?

If only for his sons sake and their mad behavior on social media, el rufai will never get close to Aso Rock.
Any serious contender that picks El rufai might as well know he will lose from the beginning.
But el rufai knows this and is hoping on Apc rigging machine and the corrupt judiciary, but what he is not understanding is Nigerians will take a lot, but not to the point of el rufai. So governor and maybe senator is the highest that man will ever be in his life.

I hope it's now clear to everyone falana is tinubu boys doing his work

it was always about clearing roads for his master tinubu ...but the truth is thats not how to fight north

OK...

Reason why that his rapist son is pained, he knows his father is not loved and it's a big blow to his hope of becoming Nigeria President son

flyingpig:
His 2023 ambition has become an aborted foetus

He will be moving straight to ICC hague to spend the rest of his terrorist life there.

El Rufai couldn't get NGF Chairmanship, he still can't get mere slot as guest speaker at NBA


El Rufai must have been feeling somehow and regreting his insensitive statements

Daddy Falz should go and sit down somewhere

helinues:
Daddy Falz should go and sit down somewhere

honestly guy u av never made any counter productive argument since I know u for this forum, what a wasted generation

Good radiance !!

That midget governor is 10times dangerous that Buhari !