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Kabir Ahmed

IMPEACH GOV. ELRUFAI NOW - AN OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE KADUNA STATE ASSEMBLY. BY Kabiru Ahmed

This letter is specifically meant to reboot your brain, which has been in a coma for a very long time or so it seems.


Let me also refresh your memory to when Nasiru Elrufai came into the limelight through Atiku Abubakar, who nominated him as the DG BPE. A few years after, he fought Atiku and warmed his way into Obasanjo's heart. Then, in his famous accidental public servant book, he took the same Obasanjo to the cleaners. Stopping short of calling Obasanjo, a Pharaoh! In 2014, he became one of General Buhari's kitchen cabinet members.

The same Buhari that he once described as PERPETUALLY UNELECTABLE and a dictator!


When he sought the gubernatorial ticket of the APC in 2014, politicians around him were Suleman Hunkuyi, Tijjani Ramalan, Lawal Samaila Yakawada, Sen Caleb Zagi, Barrister Musa Soba and a host of others.

These experienced politicians ensured that he defeated Isah Ashiru Kudan, who was the favourite of the delegates then. How he won and how he betrayed all those that aided the victory, is a story for another day.

The moral of the story above is that all the people I mentioned above did not last one year after Elrufai won the elections in 2015.


Deep into his 7 years of terror and draconian style of leadership, he dumped and completely shut his door against the following people and many other notable and respected political figures that at one time or another sacrificed their time, energy and resources to help him politically.

*Dr Usman Shehu Danfullani, his first commissioner of education and one of the front line campaign strategists.

*Engr Namadi Musa, the Director-General of the bureau of interfaith who coordinated the Ulamas and other Muslim clerics to support the dubious Muslim-Muslim ticket that aided his return to power in 2019.

*Ben Kure, his political adviser and director General of the 2019 APC campaign Council.

*Saidu Adamu, senior counsellor media and communications.

*Late Engr Suleman Lere, whom he dumped as commissioner for water resources and made unsuccessful attempts to stop him from emerging as the House of Reps member from Lere federal constituency.

*Alh. Umar Waziri, the former Accountant-General who was removed from office for the simple reason that he floated the most successful political platform that saw the re-election of Elrufai- Double 4! He had become a potential political threat and his wings must be clipped!


Typical of Elrufai's deceptive tendencies, he never mentioned in all his campaign speeches, both in 2015 and 2019, the demolitions of markets, business premises and residential houses that rendered thousands of people homeless.


Neither did he mention the sacking of traditional rulers as well as the abolishment of some chiefdoms or the abolishment of indigeneship that saw Kaduna state government becoming more nepotistic. The two most powerful people in the government of Elrufai are Jimi Lawal and Muyiwa Adekeye, who is grossly incompetent in handling local information dissemination to the electorates but is being retained to polish the image of Elrufai, who is projecting himself as one of Nigeria's power brokers. It is common to see Elrufai granting interviews to Channels, TVC, arise TV, etc almost on weekly basis, but he only remembers local TV/radio stations after 3 months. The people who elected him do not matter!

Today, courtesy of the two powerful Yoruba men in his government, another Yoruba woman is a commissioner for housing.

The new statistician General of the state is a Yoruba man, the MD of Kaduna Power supply company is a Yoruba lady. The adviser on peace and conflict resolution is a Yoruba man, The ES of the state's scholarship board is a Yoruba boy.

In addition to the numerous ministries, parastatals and agencies such as

*Ministry for Human services

*Ministry for Justice

*Ministry for Health

*Kaduna geographical information services

*State universal basic education board

* Kaduna state drugs and medical supply agency

* Kaduna line

*Kaduna state roads agency

*Kaduna state primary health care development agency

*Kaduna state traffic laws enforcement agency(KASTELIA)

*Kaduna investment promotion agency

*Kaduna state residents registration agency

*Kaduna state livestock regulatory authority

*Kaduna state market development company

* Kaduna state pension board, all being headed by non-indigenes!

Out of almost 11 special advisers, only two are from Kaduna state.

That's aside from other SSA's and SAs who are also drawn from outside the state.

The implications of this impunity are, these imported public servants always hire aides and patronise contractors from their home states, at the detriment of our qualified youths and local contractors.

It is partly the reason why the owner of Blue camel energy, the sole company that has given the multi-billion naira solar lights contracts, is a younger brother of the principal private secretary of the governor-himself from Nassarawa state.

At some point, even a refuse/waste collector was brought from Lagos!

This is sheer wickedness. Kaduna voters have become second class citizens in their own states.

These two powerful Yoruba men ensured that Sani Dattijo was booted out of the government house as chief of staff. They ensured that the office of the political adviser was abolished. After all, they are done with the politics of Kaduna state since they are in their final term in office and do not care what befalls the APC afterwards.

A lot of us were told that we are voting for the most wicked and vicious politicians in Nigeria's history but didn't take them seriously. Now we know better. Many APC members are no longer enthusiastic about the party.


In fact the then spokesman of the Elrufai campaign council, Barrister Musa Soba had a herculean task defending Elrufai's demolitions in the FCT, where he assured the electorates that the Elrufai will not embark upon senseless demolitions in Kaduna state as he did in the FCT.

It was Barrister Soba that was drafted to defend negative publicity against Elrufai's stewardship in FCT. In the end, Barrister Soba's political strength was demolished by Elrufai!


During Elrufai's political battle with Senators Suleman Hunkuyi and Shehu Sani, a House of Representative members from Kaduna North local government, Hon Samaila Suleman played a crucial role in neutralising the two former senators by publicly confronting them.

But for the political doggedness of Hon Suleman, Elrufai would have prevented him from being re-elected in 2019. And immediately after the 2019 elections, Elrufai reserved Hon Suleman's seat for his son Bello.

It is because of Bello Elrufai that the non-constitutional and laughable screening of APC chairmanship/Councilorship aspirants via written exams, was introduced during the local government primaries.

The whole process was to disqualify Hon Samaila Suleman's ally, Saleh Shuaibu to pave way for Bello's Childhood friend, Mukhtar Baloni to emerge as local government chairman, who is expected to demolish Hon Suleman's political structure and clear the way for Bello's emergence as APC's house of reps candidate in Kaduna North.

Being a good political gladiator himself, Hon Suleman ensured that Elrufai did not only lose his polling unit but for the entire local government. Mukhtar Baloni was merely imposed by Elrufai but even he, certainly knows that he never won the elections.


Hon. Members, I took my time to highlight the treacherous behaviour of Elrufai, for you to know what awaits you at the end of your tenure. Do you remember the former Algon Chairman Muhammad Mahmud and his secretary Saleh Shuaibu? Both of whom gave Elrufai the "maximum cooperation" needed to run the local governments?

They were the only Elrufai's casualties in the last local government elections!


Coming to your immediate environment. Am sure most of you will remember your colleagues such as Kasimu Iliyasawa and Bello Gimi, both of whom lost their re-election bids but contributed immensely towards the success of the APC in the last general elections. Where are they today? They were dumped!

Being a good political gladiator himself, Hon Suleman ensured that Elrufai did not only lose his polling unit but the entire local government. Mukhtar Baloni was merely imposed by Elrufai but even he, certainly knows that he never won the elections.

90% of the existing political appointees in Elrufai's appointees were not part of the campaign process in 2015. Including the incumbent deputy governor!

Ironically, more than 90% of those that participated fully in the electioneering campaigns were dumped. Including members of support groups such as BESO, DOUBLE 4, APC GIDA-GIDA etc.


Do you remember the immediate past speaker of the Kaduna state house of Assembly, Aminu Shagali? This was someone who facilitated the passages of so many questionable executive bills. It was he who ensured that all bills coming from Elrufai were passed without much scrutiny. He was 100% loyal to Elrufai. When his services were no longer required by Elrufai, he was not only removed as a speaker but his seat was declared vacant by the newly anointed speaker. The official quarters sold to him was revoked

And Elrufai shamefully went to Sabon Gari local government to canvas for votes for the replacement of Shagali. Thank God for the people of Sabon Gari who flatly rejected the imposed APC candidate.


Do you remember the immediate past majority leader, Haruna Inuwa Mabo?

He was Elrufai's man-Friday in the assembly. Since his replacement, Elrufai has stopped picking up his calls.


Hon members let me remind you of an extract from the book written by Elrufai's former boss, former President Obasanjo, MY WATCH. He said "Nasir's penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it? I recognised his weakness; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long but only to Nasir Elrufai.

Nasir Elrufai is a pathological liar" He concluded with an air of finality!


If the above statement by one of the closest people to Elrufai does not put some sense into you, then I wondered what will.

Hon members, Elrufai has committed so many impeachable offences.

Many of which have severe consequences on your own political survival.

A lot of these mushrooms agencies created by Elrufai were just conduit pipes to siphon public funds.

What is our business having Kaduna state mining Corporation and Kaduna state power supply company?

These are exclusive duties of the federal government.


Strategic agencies such as KASUPDA were placed in the hands of a mere level 9, HND holder and a non-professional, above high ranking and better-qualified officers.

Appointing a non-professional like Ismail Dikko to head a sensitive organisation such as KASUPDA, is akin to appointing an accountant general without ICAN or ANAN certificate or appointing a law graduate who is not called to the bar, as solicitor general of a state.


The pinnacle of a civil servant's career is becoming a permanent secretary, but sadly, Gov Nasiru Elrufai appointed lecturers and bankers as permanent secretaries. It is therefore not surprising to see so many blunders in his government.

Government ministries and agencies are being stopped from performing their statutory functions because of selfishness and interest.

For instance, the Kaduna state market development company is now in charge of renovating roundabouts and Murtala Muhammed sports complex, instead of the ministry of public works or Kadfama.

Kaduna state government is being run like a personal business or profit-making organisation.


Many of you as state house of assembly members in Kaduna state are living in penury because Elrufai has cut your allowance and overheads from N2.4 million naira monthly to N600,000!


You were driven out from your official guest houses under the guise of renovation, only for Elrufai to allocate same to Kashim Ibrahim fellows, most of whom are sourced from outside the state.

These Kashim Fellows are being fed, housed and paid with Kaduna state government's money.

Even though you have the constitutional powers to stop this profligacy, your timidity would not allow you to and that's exactly why Elrufai has continued to dominate and subjected you to the life of political uncertainties amidst threats of premature retirement you permanently from active politics.

What value are those Kashim Ibrahim fellows adding to Kaduna state other than servicing the ego of Elrufai? And you all sit down like dummies watching a political liability like Elrufai treating you like a thrash?


Furthermore, a lot of you were not even notified when several loans were obtained by Elrufai. During his first tenure, almost N15 billion was withdrawn in the name of payment for consultancy in the now bogus light rail system. No other people facilitated this than the notorious crook, JIMI LAWAL. I am not sure you got 1 kobo out of this sleeve.

From my records, there was no advertisement for bidding before the so-called multi-billion naira urban renewal contracts were awarded. You as the hon members, who are the constitutional backed approval authority were not consulted either.

Even the corrupt PDP were not that reckless and insensitive!


Lands worth billions of naira are being revoked daily and reallocated to friends, cronies and concubines from outside the state. Even the ceremonial APC state chairman and the equally ceremonial secretary were not considered in the sharing of such plots. A visit to the party secretariat will convince you that Elrufai has wickedly killed political activities in Kaduna state, to the detriment of people like you, who still have more chances of making progress in your political career. Small scale businesses are folding up daily to pave the way for foreign companies such as Shoprite. Car shops are being driven out of the city centre for possible reallocation of the car stands to family and friends.


The recent creation of a contraption called Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan Metropolitan authorities is not only in conflict with the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, but is clearly usurping the powers of the constitutionally backed local government councils.

Sadly, these illegal agencies are going to be funded by the cash strapped local governments, most of whom are struggling to perform their statutory responsibilities.

The emphasis on creating such agencies is of course borne of Elrufai's desire to mope up more public funds via projects that will guarantee huge kickbacks! Regrettably, Hon members were intimidated into passing the laws creating such agencies.


It is not surprising that Kaduna state is the most unsecured state in the North West due to its refusal to compliment the efforts being made by the security agencies. Elrufai appointed a professional journalist as commissioner for internal security, against what is obtained in every state of the federation, where retired security personnel are appointed into such roles, who mostly used his years of experience in the service to coordinate security activities via esprit de corps channels. Operation Yaki vehicles are in very bad shape. They would rather spend the money on propaganda than service them or purchase new ones.


Against this background, It has become crystal clear that a lot of you are on your way out of the system if you don't use the constitutionally given powers to impeach gov Elrufai. He is a political liability to all of you. Elrufai is drawing u to a pitfall that will consume all of you. The good thing is, you have the power to stop it.


Yours Kabiru Ahmed.

8/02/2022


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