Some Heroes Of El- Rufai
When the President makes hero of El-Rufai and others!
When Nasir El-Rufai then powerful Minister and strong man of Obasanjo’s cabinet was scandalizing Turai, wife of late president Yar’adua as a head of the so-called cabal in that regime, I did saw President’s Jonathan “like” comment on El-rufai vitriolic vituperations on the Yar’aduas. Today as they say, the chicken has come home to roost! And Dr Jonathan is now under the barrage of el-rufai‘s fire.
El-rufia is what the Americans called filibusterous fellow- a fellow who uses dilatory or obstructive tactics to curry an argument to his favour and advantage. Mallam Nasir El-rufia is gifted with power of verbosity and can even hypnotize his opponent into clapping in fascination the dexterity of his theatrics use of language. Very few people in Nigeria possess this trait. Major Al-Mustapha Hamza else while Chief Security Officer to late Sani Abacha displayed similar spellbound dexterity of language when he turned audience at the Oputa Panel into fans who continuously and boisterously hailed to every statement he made!
El-Rufai after his stint as a minister of the FCT came under severe hammers of some Nigerians who felt he was too daring and arrogant, and had no humane dispositions to his restructuring of the badly battered Abuja Master plan. The bash came from left- right and center and his popularity drastically nose-dived into the lowest ebb to the extent that Nigeria became inhabitable to him hence his self imposed exile in the United Kingdom.
However, opportunity came for El-rufai when the Senate set up a committee to look into his dealings as the minister of FCT and it was vintage El-rufai who not only caged the committee led by senator Abubakar Sodangi but got the further appreciation of Nigerians. His response to the allegation that he dashed out plots of land to his family and friends elicited a phenomenal rhetoric that will be a long subject of analytical interpretation for a long time to come. His response; “If I don’t give land to my friends, should I have given them to my enemies” left everyone in awe and defeated submission!
Instantly, El-Rufai became a darling of newspapers as they waited in bated breath to syndicate his insights as he reel them out in mitigated abundance. His famous outburst was his Facebook release of how they plotted the emergence of late Yar’adua as president as against popular demands like Abubakar Atiku and Peter Odili. Credit perhaps should go to El-Rufai for popularizing Facebook journalism among politicians as against the erroneous submission of Information Minister, Labaran Maku that Dr Goodluck Jonathan brought Facebook to Nigeria!
He wittily used this social media platform to his great advantage, building a team of admirers, well wishers and foot soldiers who rush head on heels to react to whatever submissions he made. Gradually, El-Rufai strolled back into the consciousness of Nigerians this time around becoming darling of sort. Unlike other politicians who recruit people to manage their Facebook pages, El-Rufai handles his page himself. It was this strategy perhaps that got him the invitation of Thisday Newspaper as a columnist where the government of Nigeria has a pawn in the hands of this acerbic writer.
Though not a journalist by training, El-Rufai has displaced some journalists in their own field given his demonstration of in-depth, factual and analytical insight into issues of governance in Nigeria. His writings are critical efforts of investigative journalism. How he managed to get the very cabalistic secret documents in government leave one to utter shock and wonder. The State Security Service (SSS) celebrated El-Rufai’s heroism when they hurriedly arrested him for an alleged offensive publication against the agency! It was maradonic Nasir at his best as he reeled out facts and figures which predicated his writing and the SSS couldn’t help but succumbed to the intellectual bravery of this Zaria born technocrat turned politician.
President Goodluck Jonathan eventually oiled the drum that pop up El-rufia’s heroism among Nigerians when he choose 1st January,2012 the very beginning of a new year to announce the removal of subsidy from the motor premium spirit popularly called petroleum. At a time Nigerians needed direction and a shoulder to lean, El-Rufai provided them the succor and like the biblical Noah Ark, the people sailed with him.
This man has continued to curry this deserving honour by the president as he ditched out heavy contents on the running of government to the vexation of President Jonathan. El-rufai has become an untouchable opposition figure in Nigeria today.
And just recently, the heroism is ignited again following the invasion of the Directorate of State Security service (DSS) of the Maitama homes of El-Rufai for making what the service termed 'Inflammatory statement capable of breaching national security'. Typical of El-Rufai, he is now using the invasion to his advantage. first, he demanded for a warrant and the service was caught napping. Even when they eventually got the warrant, it was to Nasir's advantage as he had mobilized publicity and opinions to his invitation to the DSS office.
Political permutations, mercurial politicking and media utilization are attributes you can't take away from the APC. Just this morning, we were greeted with glittering pictures of El-Rufai heroic trip to the DSS headquarters. He didn't only went at his chosen time, but with the assemblage of Rivers State Rotimi Ameachi, Senator Chris Ngige and other APC heavy weights. Of course, the media were strategically part of this 'government sponsored rally' for El-Rufai.
The implication is this, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai will be in the News for the next coming days. This is a political boost for the APC. A single kobo was not spent for this free publicity orchestrated by the DSS. This development has also again portray the president as playing sectional politics, given that Asari Dokubo and Edwin Clerk had made similar utterances in the not too distant past without the security agencies effecting their arrest. Politically, this is not a good one for the president's image. Nigerians should be treated alike regardless their status,tribe,and religion.
Much as Naisr is said to be riding on the successes of oppositional stance, same cannot be said of other opportunists like Dino Melaye and Fani Kayode whose shenanigans while in offices is nothing to write home about. Much as they try to be on the side of the people the more fading and irrelevance they become in the eyes of right thinking member of the public.
*Note: The better first part of this piece was done in 2012 and now re-modified to fit into current realities
When Nasir El-Rufai then powerful Minister and strong man of Obasanjo’s cabinet was scandalizing Turai, wife of late president Yar’adua as a head of the so-called cabal in that regime, I did saw President’s Jonathan “like” comment on El-rufai vitriolic vituperations on the Yar’aduas. Today as they say, the chicken has come home to roost! And Dr Jonathan is now under the barrage of el-rufai‘s fire.
El-rufia is what the Americans called filibusterous fellow- a fellow who uses dilatory or obstructive tactics to curry an argument to his favour and advantage. Mallam Nasir El-rufia is gifted with power of verbosity and can even hypnotize his opponent into clapping in fascination the dexterity of his theatrics use of language. Very few people in Nigeria possess this trait. Major Al-Mustapha Hamza else while Chief Security Officer to late Sani Abacha displayed similar spellbound dexterity of language when he turned audience at the Oputa Panel into fans who continuously and boisterously hailed to every statement he made!
El-Rufai after his stint as a minister of the FCT came under severe hammers of some Nigerians who felt he was too daring and arrogant, and had no humane dispositions to his restructuring of the badly battered Abuja Master plan. The bash came from left- right and center and his popularity drastically nose-dived into the lowest ebb to the extent that Nigeria became inhabitable to him hence his self imposed exile in the United Kingdom.
However, opportunity came for El-rufai when the Senate set up a committee to look into his dealings as the minister of FCT and it was vintage El-rufai who not only caged the committee led by senator Abubakar Sodangi but got the further appreciation of Nigerians. His response to the allegation that he dashed out plots of land to his family and friends elicited a phenomenal rhetoric that will be a long subject of analytical interpretation for a long time to come. His response; “If I don’t give land to my friends, should I have given them to my enemies” left everyone in awe and defeated submission!
Instantly, El-Rufai became a darling of newspapers as they waited in bated breath to syndicate his insights as he reel them out in mitigated abundance. His famous outburst was his Facebook release of how they plotted the emergence of late Yar’adua as president as against popular demands like Abubakar Atiku and Peter Odili. Credit perhaps should go to El-Rufai for popularizing Facebook journalism among politicians as against the erroneous submission of Information Minister, Labaran Maku that Dr Goodluck Jonathan brought Facebook to Nigeria!
He wittily used this social media platform to his great advantage, building a team of admirers, well wishers and foot soldiers who rush head on heels to react to whatever submissions he made. Gradually, El-Rufai strolled back into the consciousness of Nigerians this time around becoming darling of sort. Unlike other politicians who recruit people to manage their Facebook pages, El-Rufai handles his page himself. It was this strategy perhaps that got him the invitation of Thisday Newspaper as a columnist where the government of Nigeria has a pawn in the hands of this acerbic writer.
Though not a journalist by training, El-Rufai has displaced some journalists in their own field given his demonstration of in-depth, factual and analytical insight into issues of governance in Nigeria. His writings are critical efforts of investigative journalism. How he managed to get the very cabalistic secret documents in government leave one to utter shock and wonder. The State Security Service (SSS) celebrated El-Rufai’s heroism when they hurriedly arrested him for an alleged offensive publication against the agency! It was maradonic Nasir at his best as he reeled out facts and figures which predicated his writing and the SSS couldn’t help but succumbed to the intellectual bravery of this Zaria born technocrat turned politician.
President Goodluck Jonathan eventually oiled the drum that pop up El-rufia’s heroism among Nigerians when he choose 1st January,2012 the very beginning of a new year to announce the removal of subsidy from the motor premium spirit popularly called petroleum. At a time Nigerians needed direction and a shoulder to lean, El-Rufai provided them the succor and like the biblical Noah Ark, the people sailed with him.
This man has continued to curry this deserving honour by the president as he ditched out heavy contents on the running of government to the vexation of President Jonathan. El-rufai has become an untouchable opposition figure in Nigeria today.
And just recently, the heroism is ignited again following the invasion of the Directorate of State Security service (DSS) of the Maitama homes of El-Rufai for making what the service termed 'Inflammatory statement capable of breaching national security'. Typical of El-Rufai, he is now using the invasion to his advantage. first, he demanded for a warrant and the service was caught napping. Even when they eventually got the warrant, it was to Nasir's advantage as he had mobilized publicity and opinions to his invitation to the DSS office.
Political permutations, mercurial politicking and media utilization are attributes you can't take away from the APC. Just this morning, we were greeted with glittering pictures of El-Rufai heroic trip to the DSS headquarters. He didn't only went at his chosen time, but with the assemblage of Rivers State Rotimi Ameachi, Senator Chris Ngige and other APC heavy weights. Of course, the media were strategically part of this 'government sponsored rally' for El-Rufai.
The implication is this, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai will be in the News for the next coming days. This is a political boost for the APC. A single kobo was not spent for this free publicity orchestrated by the DSS. This development has also again portray the president as playing sectional politics, given that Asari Dokubo and Edwin Clerk had made similar utterances in the not too distant past without the security agencies effecting their arrest. Politically, this is not a good one for the president's image. Nigerians should be treated alike regardless their status,tribe,and religion.
Much as Naisr is said to be riding on the successes of oppositional stance, same cannot be said of other opportunists like Dino Melaye and Fani Kayode whose shenanigans while in offices is nothing to write home about. Much as they try to be on the side of the people the more fading and irrelevance they become in the eyes of right thinking member of the public.
*Note: The better first part of this piece was done in 2012 and now re-modified to fit into current realities
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