₦airaland Forum

Dear Governor Nasir Elrufai, In the normal course of events, this would have been an engagement on marking down your last 100 days as Governor of  Kaduna, Nigeria’s third-largest state.

 However, your sudden love for the masses and the rule of law against your customary disdain for the masses and penchant for picking and choosing what laws to obey; makes this letter imperative.

  Over the last two weeks, you have struggled hard to stop the redesign of Nigeria’s currency. What you are doing is neither random nor incidental.

True, Nigerians are undergoing an unprecedented scenario of cash and money crunch and citizens are having to buy the naira with naira. Difficult as the situation is, your intervention is not without purpose; it is in the course to executing a plan, a plan to ensure your presidential candidate monies himself into governance.

In furtherance to your plan you hope to conscript the people of Kaduna state as your foot soldiers against the Federal Republic of Nigeria- now that is downright dangerous!

     [b]In your broadcast of Thursday 16 February 2023, you told the people of Kaduna State to continue to use currencies that have been abrogated by the  Central Bank of Nigeria and the Presidency.[/b] You have also committed to seal off and prosecute persons and organizations in Kaduna who do not accept the currencies.

By your broadcast, you have invoked for yourself, executive, legislative, and judicial powers.You are inciting the people in Kaduna state to overthrow the Federal Govt for the establishment of a Kaduna Republic which you imagine should have its own currency and sovereignty within the Nigerian state.

You have not only thumped the President in the chest, you have also trampled under foot the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which enshrines currency, coinage and legal tender as the 15th item under the exclusive legislative list. This is a grave offence against public order

On the 6th of February, 2023, you wrote about fifth columnist that do not mean well for Nigeria. The problem is, you appear not to see that you are what you described. Indeed, there are none so blind than those who would rather not see. You seem to ignore how volatile elections are in Nigeria and how your actions at heating the polity at this moment is a terrible idea.

During the 2019 elections, you carried out the same experiment in Kaduna when you trumped up a story of 66 Fulanis being killed in Kujama, a story the State Commissioner of Police denied. You have now moved your antics to the national space and you are pitching your ploy against a Supreme Court ruling in a matter that is purely an executive prerogative. Separation of powers exists for good cause- the cause of democracy.

The people of Kaduna State and Nigerians have laboured under the yoke of the present administration. The democratic train is fast moving to  February 25, 2023 (in 8 days), it will be in your own interest to jump off the rail track.

   You have recently been all about your lovey-dovey affection for ‘talakawas’; which of them do you refer to? For the avoidance of doubt, here is a summary of your score sheet in the talakawa and governance business:

1. Kaduna State under your administration, has witnessed unprecedented insecurity and deaths. You admitted to accessorizing murders by ‘paying killers to stop killing’ yet in the urban, rural and suburban areas, people and ‘your  talakawas’ are either killed, kidnapped or on the line to suffer either of the two dreadful fates.

interview-why-i-paid-herdsmen-to-stop-southern-kaduna-bloodshed-el-rufai-the-gov/https://punchng.com/just-in-bandits-attack-kaduna-communities-security-operatives-feared-killed/?amp;

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/268782-birnin-gwari-10-feared-killed-as-armed-bandits-attack-kaduna-communities.html?tztc=1;

 2. At $586.78 million,  Kaduna State has the highest foreign debt profile of all the states next only to Lagos state.

https://businessday.ng/amp/business-economy/article/states-with-highest-foreign-debt/

https://www.dmo.gov.ng/debt-profile/sub-nationals-debts/4122-states-and-fct-domestic-debt-stock-as-at-september-30-2022/file

3.  You threw thousands of talakawa traders out of jobs by demolishing markets and destroying goods and services without compensation.

https://dailytrust.com/kasupda-begins-demolition-of-kasuwar-barci/

4. You made hundreds of thousands of people homeless by demolishing their homes without compensation and devoid of legal cause.

https://www..com/p/969770/governor-elrufai-demolishes-graceland-zaria-kaduna-photos.html

https://www.tvcnews.tv/2021/10/kaduna-govt-demolishes-140-houses-in-zaria-lga/

https://www.channelstv.com/2016/07/28/gbagyi-villa-residents-protest-planned-demolition-by-kaduna-govt/amp/

5. You destroyed the houses of those who held different opinions to yours in your own party and outside it. Sen. Hunkuyi’s home you demolished and turned into a park. Former Attorney General, Inuwa Abdulkadir died while waiting for justice for his destroyed house.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/governor-demolishes-senators-house.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/demolition-go-court-aggrieved-kaduna-govt-tells-hunkuyi/amp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sunnewsonline.com/el-rufai-converts-hunkuyis-demolished-house-to-childrens-park/%3famp

http://httpwww.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/04/06/apc-zonal-chairman-accuses-el-rufai-of-demolishing-house-over-political-differences/amp/

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/07/06/apc-mourns-ex-national-vice-chairman-inuwa-abdulkadir/

6.  You sacked thousands of teachers from their jobs and refused to pay teachers their salaries. Some teachers had it worse, they were killed while trying to undergo needless verification exercises you imposed.

https://saharareporters.com/2021/05/16/kaduna-governor-el-rufai-has-sacked-about-70000-workers-2016

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/agony-of-kaduna-teachers-over-unpaid-salaries/?amp https://dailytrust.com/zaria-blast-kills-dozens-injured-many-workers/.

7.Traditional Rulers were killed under your watch in questionable circumstances while you decapitated what remains of the institution proscribing chiefdoms,  changing the identity of people and sacking traditional rulers.

https://saharareporters.com/2019/05/06/exclusive-how-kajuru-monarch-galadima-was-killed-refusing-give-stool-after-visiting-el

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/kidnapped-kaduna-traditional-ruler-killed-by-kidnappers/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theperiscopeglobal.com/2021/05/20/tribute-to-dr-ishaku-damina-the-distinctive-lamp-extinguished-the-sacrificial-lamb-slain/

https://guardian.ng/news/gunmen-kidnap-south-kaduna-monarch-yohanna-kukah/

https://ynaija.com/opinion-hrh-dr-ishaku-sabo-damina-bgwan-kurmi-persecuted-el-rufai/

https://saharareporters.com/2020/11/07/frustration-southern-kaduna-indigenous-traditional-structures-seeming-step-complementing

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.channelstv.com/2021/06/20/kaduna-security-bandits-kill-village-head-in-sanga-lga/amp/

8. The children of talakawas cannot go to school because of the over 200% increase in school fees while in Southern Kaduna, you shut down tertiary institutions at your whims.

https://theinterview.ng/2021/04/27/kaduna-govt-increases-tertiary-institutions-fees/amp/

https://dailypost.ng/2017/06/14/closure-institutions-southern-kad.

https://newsdiaryonline.com/deputy-gov-kasu-tuition-fees-increase-painful-but-necessary/

https://guardian.ng/news/schools-to-remain-closed-in-southern-kaduna-until-security-improves-says-government/

https://www.icirnigeria.org/insecurity-kaduna-govt-orders-closure-of-13-schools/?amp=1

9. The Nigeria Labour Congress tried to resolve the crises between you and Kaduna State workers but you turned the NLC’s intervention into a wrestling spree.

https://placng.org/Legist/kaduna-boils-as-govt-labour-battle/

https://dailytrust.com/kaduna-shutdown-fg-intervenes-as-el-rufai-labour-stick-to-their-guns/

10. Even the journalists and activists who endeavored to report the rape of law and justice carried out by your government, were arbitrarily thrown by you into prisons.

https://www.theoasisreporters.com/electronic-media-personality-segun-onibiyo-arrested-by-police-in-kaduna-for-hate-speech/

https://saharareporters.com/2019/05/08/breaking-police-arrest-kajuru-journalist-stephen-kefas-re-posting-article-facebook

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/01/02/between-el-rufai-and-journalist-segun-onibiyo-2/amp/

https://www.csw.rg.uk/2022/02/04/press/5572/article.htm.

The verdict of Nigeria’s Senate is that you are not a fit and proper person to occupy public office.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/03/952809/amp/; https://dailytrust.com/why-el-rufai-should-not-hold-public-office-dantiye/

At this point, My dear Governor, it should immediately be clear to you, that you are already known for who you are rather than the overnight self-acclaimed activist for the masses you seek to make yourself out to be.

 Let Democracy Thrive and Get Thee Off the Way.
Gloria Mabeiam Ballason
17/2/2023

Ballason is the Chief Executive Officer of House of Justice and Principal Partner MIVE LEGALS

The vituperative broadcast of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to the people of Kaduna State on Thursday should ordinarily give cause for concern to every patriotic Nigerian.

The broadcast aside from being confrontational with the policy stance of the Nigerian federal government; is also at complete variance with the orders given by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The broadcast of Governor El-Rufai came some hours after the early morning ‘state of the nation address by President Buhari on Thursday.

The president made himself unambiguously clear that he was not unmindful of the suit before the supreme court but still went ahead to pronounce the revalidation of old N200 notes while he equally declared that the other two higher denominations have ceased to be legal tender.

The instruction of the president and Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces on the naira policy is clear enough & the counter instruction by Governor Nasir El-Rufai is clearly an incitement to violence. The counter order of Governor El-Rufai is equally an offence that should attract the attention of the law enforcement agencies notwithstanding the constitutional immunity enjoyed by the Kaduna State Governor.

One is not totally unaware of the reality that President Buhari has a record of not obeying court rulings before now. This happened in the cases of Colonel Dasuki Sambo (Rtd), Ibraheem El-Zakizaki and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. One would have expected Governor El-Rufai to have spoken truth to power at least in one out of the many instances of disobedience of court rulings by President Buhari.

It is however worthy of acknowledgement that the lingering scarcity of new naira notes has undoubtedly inflicted untold hardship and pain on innocent Nigerians including my very self. But we must however come to the quick realization that cutting off a head plagued by headaches can never be a good solution.


Agreed that Governor El-Rufai and some other state governors have taken the federal government to the Supreme court over the legal tender status of old N500 and N1000 notes.

Nonetheless, we are all witnesses to the order of the supreme court that all parties in the suit should maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive suit. But the position of the supreme court should never have been enough reason for Governor El-Rufai to have usurped the constitutional power and authority of President Buhari.

The self-seeking broadcast of Governor El-Rufai has unfortunately elevated him to the position of president alongside President Muhammadu Buhari. It is most disturbing that personal interests and political desperation have sadly blindfolded El-Rufai to the point of outright disregard for the person and orders of a sitting president.

Beyond the facade of a plea for calm and peace in Governor El-Rufai’s broadcast, the true intent of the Kaduna Governor is to incite Nigerians to violence. He even disappointedly alluded to a grand plot of a scheme to frustrate the forthcoming elections with the hope of foisting an interim government to be headed by a retired Army General on Nigerians.

These are grave allegations and law enforcement agencies are expected to swiftly interrogate Governor El-Rufai. The Kaduna State Governor needs to tell the DSS what he knows that the rest of us probably did not know. He must also desist from teaching the Central Bankers how to carry out their duties.

He apparently did not know the back-end operations of the CBN and should stop dishing out confusing figures that are capable of inciting the masses to violent protests.In addition, grave allegations of El-Rufai should also call for urgent attention and reactions by the federal government. 

 Notwithstanding the immunity of Governor El-Rufai, he can still be investigated and have security searchlights beamed around him in the meantime. It will also not be out of place for the president to declare a state of emergency in the whole of Kaduna State in a bid to ease El-Rufai from office and also stop him from unnecessarily hitting up the polity.

How on earth can a governor that sacked more than 60,000 workers from the workforce of Kaduna State ever lay claim to champion the cause of the poor? One would have expected  El-Rufai and his co-travellers to have taken the federal government to court before now over hyperinflation, insecurity, scarcity and a hike in the price of petrol if they are truly fighting for the masses.

It is a settled aphorism that two wrongs can never make a right. Whatever may have been the reservations of Governor El-Rufai, he ought to have exercised restraint until the Supreme court would make a pronouncement on February 22, 2023. In view of this, the usurpation of the powers of President Buhari by Governor Nasir El-Rufai is totally condemnable.

Meanwhile, on the way out of the current naira scarcity, the solution is multi-dimensional. To start with, Nigerians must give peace a chance and allow the Money Deposit Banks to return to full service and also put a halt to the destruction and burning of banking facilities.  Truth is that commercial banks are needed to circulate the new and old naira notes and any attempt to destroy banking facilities can only worsen the problem.

On the order hand, the Nigerian Central Bank must as a matter of urgency pump new naira notes into the system and also ensure that the revalidated N200 notes are aggressively made to flood all banks in the country. More so, officials of the CBN must intensify their monitoring duties to put likely saboteurs on their toes. Above all, all erring bank branches must be heavily sanctioned to serve as deference to others.

Oluyemi Fasipe (@YemieFash) is a Youths Representative based in Ondo

 Notwithstanding the immunity of Governor El-Rufai, he can still be investigated and have security searchlights beamed around him in the meantime. It will also not be out of place for the president to declare a state of emergency in the whole of Kaduna State in a bid to ease El-Rufai from office and also stop him from unnecessarily hitting up the polity

How on earth can a governor that sacked more than 60,000 workers from the workforce of Kaduna State ever lay claim to champion the cause of the poor? One would have expected  El-Rufai and his co-travellers to have taken the federal government to court before now over hyperinflation, insecurity, scarcity and a hike in the price of petrol if they are truly fighting for the masses.

7yrs after this speech but El-Rufai & co are all silent. Pls watch & re-send this video to El-Rufai, Lai Mohammed, &Fashola. Do they have the conscience to accept the truth? It's funny that they still want to remain in power. PO or nobody! @BishopPOEvang
@Nkemchor_@firstladyship pic.twitter.com/FGa7Pzr4YL

— Truth (@Truthisgood11) August 29, 2022

The instruction of the president and Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces on the naira policy is clear enough & the counter instruction by Governor Nasir El-Rufai is clearly an incitement to violence. The counter order of Governor El-Rufai is equally an offence that should attract the attention of the law enforcement agencies notwithstanding the constitutional immunity enjoyed by the Kaduna State Governor.

Nonetheless, we are all witnesses to the order of the supreme court that all parties in the suit should maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive suit. But the position of the supreme court should never have been enough reason for Governor El-Rufai to have usurped the constitutional power and authority of President Buhari.

The self-seeking broadcast of Governor El-Rufai has unfortunately elevated him to the position of president alongside President Muhammadu Buhari. It is most disturbing that personal interests and political desperation have sadly blindfolded El-Rufai to the point of outright disregard for the person and orders of a sitting president.

2. At $586.78 million, Kaduna State has the highest foreign debt profile of all the states next only to Lagos state

Freetech:
So many educated ileterates

derecho:
El-rufai will be disgraced with Tinubu. Meanwhile, Kaduna people have ignored the noisemaker.

Let him close the markets and call those Bandits to come sell goods on the market. I can see God at work.

DrChukki:
El Rufai should get ready to retire from politics and join Nollywood.

We need him there for playing dwarf roles

Aufbauh:
It is speck I mean to write petty soul.

However i can hardly relate with the gene that makes you guys to be this insulting, mannerless and intolerance at a slight of every discourse.