Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that he will not flee Nigeria despite speculations about an alleged plot to arrest and torture him by the Bola Tinubu administration.
El-Rufai, who has been at loggerheads with the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissed any fear of intimidation. He made his stance known while responding to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by a user, Imran Wakili, regarding the alleged plan to detain him.
He assured his supporters that he would return to Nigeria from Egypt before February 20, 2025, in time for the launch of former President Ibrahim Babangida’s (IBB) memoirs.
El-Rufai: “I Will Not Be Intimidated”
In his response, the former Kaduna governor said:
“I have been hearing these same rumours of arrest, detention, and torture in some dungeon in the NSA’s office (where Godwin Emefiele was allegedly tortured to resign as CBN governor) since July 2024, when the so-called report of the Kaduna Assembly began circulating.
“They freaked out when we challenged the legality of the premeditated defamation and went to every length to compromise the judicial process, and this is continuing at the Court of Appeal.
“They have sent similar messages of intimidation and threats through many of my friends, family, and political associates because they want me to go on self-imposed exile. I will not.
“I have now put all my previous academic and language-learning plans on hold and will spend more time in Nigeria than ever before. Silence is no longer golden. Inaction has never been an option.”
El-Rufai, who has been arrested and detained thrice in the past, insisted that he is prepared for any outcome.
“The arrest, detention, and torture of perceived political enemies are nothing new in human affairs.
“There is always a morning after the arrest, detention, or torture, and political life continues.
“As for death, it is when Allah destines it, and it is ultimately the date of every human.”
He further issued a direct message to those he claimed were behind the plot against him.
“For the attention of the pathetic characters that don’t sleep well whenever I am in Nigeria, take notice that I intend to return in time for the launch of former President IBB’s memoirs, in sha Allah, scheduled for February 20.”
His Role in Tinubu’s Emergence and Fallout with the Government
El-Rufai was a key figure in the APC power structure leading up to the 2023 presidential elections. He played a critical role in ensuring that the party’s ticket went to a southern candidate, following the eight-year tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari from the North-West geopolitical zone.
The former Kaduna governor openly supported Tinubu, rallying his northern colleagues to back the ex-Lagos governor against other northern aspirants, including former Senate President Ahmad Lawan and ex-Jigawa State governor Mohammed Badaru.
Tinubu eventually secured the APC ticket and won the February 2023 presidential election, but relations between El-Rufai and the current administration later soured.
During the August 2023 ministerial screening, the Senate rejected El-Rufai’s nomination, citing security concerns raised by the Department of State Services (DSS). Since then, he has been noticeably absent from APC leadership gatherings, Aso Villa, and Tinubu’s inner circle, despite his role in the president’s campaign.
What’s Next for El-Rufai?
Despite his political setbacks, El-Rufai appears determined to remain a key player in Nigerian politics. His latest remarks suggest that he is gearing up for a direct confrontation with the ruling government, signaling a potentially turbulent political future.
For now, all eyes will be on February 20, 2025, to see if he follows through with his return to Nigeria—or if the alleged plans to arrest him materialize.