Ayekooto Akindele Scoffs at El-Rufai

A prominent voice within the All Progressives Congress, Ayekooto Akindele, has launched a scathing critique of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, dismissing his recent dramatic allegations against National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu as a transparent attempt to evade impending legal accountability. Akindele suggests that El-Rufai, facing a summons from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged corruption, is attempting to construct a narrative of victimization to bypass potential detention and prosecution. The political atmosphere has tightened following El-Rufai’s formal request for clarification regarding an alleged procurement of highly toxic thallium sulphate by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Akindele, voicing his frustration on social media, argued that El-Rufai is merely trying to dodge the inevitable consequences of his actions, pointing to the former governor’s recent public statements as evidence of a panic-driven strategy. The chieftain highlighted that El-Rufai’s admission of unauthorized phone tapping on national television has left him vulnerable to investigation by multiple agencies, including the DSS and ICPC, further increasing the stakes of his upcoming appearance. By painting the NSA as someone importing dangerous substances, Akindele believes El-Rufai is desperately trying to frame any potential detention as a threat to his life rather than a standard legal procedure.

The APC chieftain characterized the allegations as childish and a waste of public attention, urging the former governor to face the security agencies directly if summoned. Akindele emphatically stated that El-Rufai is not immune to investigation and that if authorities determine he should be held in custody, he must comply without creating a national spectacle. The message from Akindele to the former Kaduna governor was direct: stop panicking, accept the legal process, and behave with the fortitude expected of a political leader.

The unfolding drama highlights deep fractures within the political elite as El-Rufai navigates the intersection of his corruption probe and his outspoken criticism of the current administration. Akindele’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among some party members that El-Rufai’s confrontational approach is detrimental to the party’s cohesion and stability. The focus now shifts to Monday’s scheduled appearance at the EFCC, which is expected to be a pivotal moment in this escalating political saga.

Ultimately, Akindele’s dismissal of the fear-mongering suggests that the party apparatus is moving to contain the fallout from El-Rufai’s accusations and protect the integrity of the institutions he has targeted. Whether this public call to “be a man” will calm the situation or further inflame it remains to be seen in the coming days.