El-Rufai’s Own Dark Politics and Selective Prosecution

By: Ibrahim Salisu

When the storm clouds of accountability gather, those who once danced in the rain of impunity often seek shelter under the umbrella of victimhood. Such is the case with former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, whose recent outcry against the investigations into his administration’s alleged corruption is less a defense of justice and more a desperate attempt to rewrite history. His cries of “dark politics” and “maltreatment” are not the echoes of an innocent man but the calculated maneuvers of a political tactician who knows that the tide of accountability is rising, and his ship of impunity is beginning to sink.

El-Rufai’s narrative is a masterclass in deflection, a symphony of smoke and mirrors designed to distract from the glaring truths that lie beneath. He speaks of “selective investigations” and “political interference,” yet it is he who built the very machinery of favoritism and exclusion that now grinds against him. The same machinery Governor Uba Sani is working tirelessly to sanitise. To fully understand the irony of his position, we must first examine the foundations upon which his claims are built, and the cracks that run deep within them.

El-Rufai’s tenure as governor of Kaduna State was marked by a paradoxical blend of bold reforms and brazen impunity. On the surface, he presented himself as a reformer, a man unafraid to make tough decisions for the greater good. But beneath this veneer of progress lay a system where loyalty was currency and dissent was a crime. The “close ties” he now laments were not bonds of camaraderie but chains of complicity, binding his allies to a regime where the rule of law was often sacrificed at the altar of political expediency. It is no secret that El-Rufai’s administration was characterized by a culture of patronage, where those who toed the line were rewarded, and those who dared to question were sidelined. This system, while effective in maintaining his grip on power, created a toxic environment where accountability was an afterthought and transparency a foreign concept. To now claim victimhood, that is if there is any as he claims, is to rewrite history with a pen dipped in hypocrisy. The very “selective investigations” he decries are a direct consequence of the selective justice he once championed.

One of the central pillars of El-Rufai’s argument is the suspension of verification services by the Kaduna State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), which he claims is a deliberate attempt to hinder the release of his allies, Bashir Sai’du and Jimi Lawal. While this development is indeed sad, it is but a symptom of a disease El-Rufai himself helped to spread. During his tenure, El-Rufai’s administration was notorious for its opaque land management practices, where certificates of occupancy were often issued or revoked based on political considerations rather than legal merit. This created a system where the rule of law was subordinate to the whims of those in power. The current suspension of verification services, while problematic, is a reflection of the systemic rot that El-Rufai’s administration left behind. To blame the present administration for this is akin to blaming the doctor for diagnosing a disease that the patient has long ignored.

El-Rufai’s accusations against Governor Uba Sani and Justice Aikawa are perhaps the most telling aspect of his narrative. By painting them as the architects of a “politicized” legal process, he seeks to shift the focus away from his own actions and onto the perceived sins of others. But these allegations are but shadows cast by a man who fears the light. To accuse others of political interference is to ignore the elephant in the room—a beast fed and nurtured by El-Rufai himself. Governor Uba Sani, far from being the villain El-Rufai portrays him to be, is merely attempting to navigate the murky waters left behind by his predecessor. The investigations into alleged corruption are not an act of political vendetta but a necessary step toward restoring public trust in governance. Justice Aikawa, too, is operating within the confines of a legal system that has long been burdened by the weight of political interference. To suggest that they are colluding to undermine justice is to project El-Rufai’s own modus operandi onto those who are simply doing their jobs.

The extended incarceration of Bashir Sai’du and Jimi Lawal, despite their fulfillment of bail conditions, is undoubtedly a cause for concern. The very system that El-Rufai once wielded as a weapon is now being turned against his allies, and the irony is not lost on those who suffered under his rule.

If the probe into El-Rufai’s administration is what he has branded as ‘dark politics’ or ‘selective prosecution’ or any other label he chooses to pin on it, so be it. What matters is that the scales of accountability must be balanced, and the ledgers of Kaduna State must be opened to the light. The people of Kaduna deserve nothing less than a full reckoning – a clear-eyed audit of the forest, so the trees of truth can stand tall and unshaken.

The hour of reckoning is upon us, and no amount of metaphorical smoke can obscure the clarity of the law. The investigations into El-Rufai’s administration are not an act of persecution but a necessary step toward ensuring accountability. It is time to break this cycle and restore faith in the institutions that are meant to serve the people. El-Rufai’s cries of “dark politics” and “maltreatment” are a distraction, a desperate attempt to shift the narrative away from the real issues at hand. But the truth, like the sun, cannot be hidden forever. It will rise, and when it does, it will illuminate the path to justice, no matter how many clouds of deceit are thrown in its way.

The scales of justice may tip slowly, but they tip surely. And when they do, they will weigh not just the actions of the accused but the integrity of the accuser. Let us hope that when the dust settles, it is the truth that remains standing. For the people of Kaduna State, and indeed for Nigeria as a whole, the pursuit of justice is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the foundation upon which a brighter future can be built, a future free from the shadows of corruption and impunity.

In the end, El-Rufai’s cries are not the lamentations of an innocent man but the howls of a wolf who has lost his pack in the vast forest of accountability, and its echoes are relentless. Those who have sown the wind must now reap the whirlwind. Let justice take its course, untainted by the stains of the past, and let the truth be the final arbiter in this tale of power, corruption, and redemption. The people of Kaduna State deserve better than the politics of distraction and deflection. They deserve a government that is transparent, accountable, and committed to the rule of law. The investigations into El-Rufai’s administration are a step in the right direction, but they are only the beginning. The road to justice is long and fraught with challenges, but it is a journey that must be undertaken if we are to build a society where no one is above the law.

The people of Kaduna State must not be swayed by the cries of those who fear the light. Let them instead stand firm in their commitment to truth and justice, for it is only by confronting the shadows of the past that they can hope to build a brighter future. The echoes of accountability are growing louder, and they will not be silenced. The time for reckoning has come, and the truth will prevail. The people of Kaduna State have endured enough. They have weathered the storms of mismanagement, the floods of corruption, and the droughts of accountability. Now, as the first rays of justice begin to pierce the horizon, they stand ready to embrace a new dawn, a dawn where the rule of law reigns supreme, and the shadows of impunity are banished forever.

The story of El-Rufai’s administration is not just a tale of one man’s rise and fall; it is a cautionary tale for all who wield power. It is a reminder that no matter how high the walls of impunity are built, the tide of accountability will eventually breach them. It is a call to action for all Nigerians to demand better from their leaders, to hold them accountable for their actions, and to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. The journey ahead will not be easy, but it is a journey worth taking. For in the end, it is not the cries of the powerful that will be remembered, but the silence of the complicit—and the voices of those who dared to speak truth to power.