El-Rufai Accuses Successor Sani of Enabling Plot

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has launched a blistering attack on the current administration and his successor, Governor Uba Sani, alleging a coordinated plot to politically destroy him. Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television, El-Rufai claimed that his political enemies are desperate to bring him down and are actively utilizing Governor Sani as an enabler to facilitate their agenda. This explosive accusation follows a dramatic incident at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly attempted to arrest the former governor upon his return to the country.

El-Rufai insisted that he has been the subject of relentless investigations since June 2023, stating that federal authorities have failed to uncover any wrongdoing despite scrutinizing his tenure. He claimed that the administration is targeting his former aides and senior officials with frivolous charges in an attempt to manufacture evidence against him. Describing the actions as desperate, he suggested that the ruling party is equating his administration’s conduct with their own alleged malpractices.

The former governor further alleged that the attempt to detain him at the airport was orchestrated by a conspiracy involving top security and anti-graft officials, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). He asserted that these figures decided on his “abduction” and instructed security operatives to act without a formal warrant.

Addressing allegations of corruption during his eight-year tenure, El-Rufai robustly defended his record and challenged any Nigerian to provide evidence of bribery or misappropriation. He declared that he never took a single bribe while in public office, framing the current investigations as politically motivated persecution rather than legitimate anti-corruption efforts.

This latest development marks a significant escalation in the fractured relationship between El-Rufai and his successor, Uba Sani, who was once his protégé. The public confrontation highlights the volatile nature of politics in Kaduna State and the intensifying battle for influence ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.