El-Rufai: Tinubu Led Federal Govt Empowering Bandits

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State Governor, has alleged that both the Federal Government and Kaduna State Government have been fueling insecurity by empowering bandits, claiming the state administration paid over ₦1 billion to terrorist groups.

He observed that such mercantile relationships has only emboldened the criminal networks rather than curb violence.

In his assessment of the political landscape of the country on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television, el-Rufai warned that President Bola Tinubu has no clear path to reelection in 2027 despite incumbency advantages.

He also berated the incumbent Governor of Kaduna state, Uba Sani, for literally being in bed with bandits, instead of taking them on.

He said: “I was governor for eight years, and during that time, only two schools were attacked. But this government has been around for two years, and already, three schools have been attacked, and they paid the bandits ₦1 billion the first time the school was attacked. They are paying bandits, and they are apologising.

“When asked if he has evidence to back up his allegations, he said they are paying bandits and apologising to them. Let the governor or anyone come and deny it. We have the evidence. They are paying bandits, they are empowering them. It will not work, and it has never worked anywhere in the world.

“What the government of Kaduna State is doing is a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser, and many states are objecting to it. But this is the policy now: to kiss the bandits. My position has always been to kill the bandits; let us wipe them out. You don’t encourage your enemy and give them money to buy sophisticated weapons. They can do propaganda or cover up, but those that live in states like Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna know what is happening”, he explained.

On the 2027 presidential election, el-Rufai said that the eventual winner will not be determined by political intimidation or state-backed tactics, but by the Nigerian people at the polls.

He said he has carefully crunched the numbers and analysed likely electoral outcomes for 2027.

He said: “These things are not as theoretical as people want them to be, and if you want to engage in self-delusion, you can do so. I cannot tell you how we are going to win, but what I say very clearly is that the worst-case scenario in the 2027 elections is that no winner will emerge in the first round; they will have to go for a runoff, and Bola Tinubu will not be on the ballot for the runoff.

“I have done the maths and the analysis, and he has no pathway to win. He will be, at best, third. He can think that he has the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), money, the police, and the army, but he should invite former President Goodluck Jonathan for a chat and ask him if he didn’t have all of this in 2015, yet we kicked him out. Those who say Tinubu has never lost an election should wait.

“They can intimidate the opposition and use carrot-and-stick on some governors and live in the illusion of returning in 2027. But by then, voters will decide,” he declared.

On the one-term promise made by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi and former Rivers State Governor, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, el-Rufai said such a pledge cannot be trusted.