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el-Rufai – Not Your Accidental Critic.

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By Simon Imobo-Tswam

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, the immediate-past governor of Kaduna state, is in the news, again. His criticism of the Bola Tinubu government has triggered royal groans and not so royal moans.

I wish to state, upfront, and boldly too, that he is not an accidental critic.

He has the history.
I state, also, that this piece has no caveats.

For sure, the man excites our emotions for reasons sublime, and reasons, bizarre.

While some cannot stand his brand of politics or his forceful speechifying, others find it difficult reconciling his mega ideas and his lion-style courage with his petite frame.

Yes, he is a small-statured man; and not many big-bodied people believe that small-framed men should be loud or should dare to hog headlines for weeks on end in their presence.

Plus, el-Rufai has an ascerbic tongue which, when trained on opponents, leaves them with damaging political, emotional and psychological lacerations. And loud wailing and cacophony become the natural outcomes in such camps!

Furthermore, he has a very sharp intellect. And he has honed that to a point where he has become a suave, articulate and persuasive speaker, with a potential for even demagoguery.

el-Rufai is, therefore, not one to shy away from deploying his awesome intellectual endowments to advance his causes, promote his viewpoints or to blunt opposing voices.

When he talks, marshalling his points so clearly and so compellingly, the juggernaut leaves many of us overwhelmed, stupefied and even stranded. That’s when, in exasperation, some of us call him a “midget” or “dwarf”!

But such a pejorative characterisation only makes our nightmare more nightmarish: for the life of this nimble “midget” is still the dream of many shuffling giants!

Look at the roll-call: Special Adviser to a military head of state, director-general of a first-grade Federal parastatal, cabinet minister, a brain-box of President Obasanjo’s reform agenda, co-founder of a consequential political party, two-term governor of Kaduna state and now, the enfant terrible of the ruling APC.

So, clearly, what el-Rufai lacks in physique, God has superfluously compensated him with an overflowing intellect. But this is both a liability and asset.

When the APC juggernaut airs his opinions with his inimitably forceful candour, profound erudition and insightful analyses, his critics want to shout him down. When he holds his peace, his admirers wonder why he is quiet, and goad him to say something.

So, in talking, he stirs the hornets’ nest; and in his silence, he becomes the object of our intense curiosity. It’s something of a dilemma.

In our secondary school days (those of my generation can relate or recall), we read/had a text entitled: The Dilemma of a Ghost.” We can modify that title to fit our context thus: “The Dilemma of a Critic.”

But we don’t pity el-Rufai or query the critics of the critic – after all, the critic himself spares none when he sees the need to. But we should avoid tagging him “the Accidental Critic.” He has paid his dues in the public space. So, while he may style himself as “the Accidental Public Servant,” he is, by no means an “Accidental Critic.”

First, when you are a stickler for excellence, you naturally model criticism by default; you automatically become a critic of mediocrity, inefficiency, slothfulness and tardiness.

But in practical terms, in the Obasanjo dispensation when el-Rufai came to national limelight, he criticised the chronic lethargy of the bureaucracy, the sloppiness in the Federal cabinet, and the then budding corruption in hallowed places.

He was also a vociferous critic of both the Yar’adua and the Goodluck Jonathan administrations, accusing both of incapacity, insincerity and inefficiency.

And in the Buhari government during which he served as governor, el-Rufai wrote about three memos to the president, expressing his unease with the slow-pace of social change.

Additionally, Nasir el-Rufai was among the governors who sued the Buhari presidency over its currency re-design policy, faulting both the need and the timing! He also opposed Buhari’s bid to have another Northerner succeed him after his eight-year tenure in Aso Rock.

That’s el-Rufai for you. He is a critic who doesn’t even respect table manners: he talks at the table, with a fork in hand and between mouthfuls.

He may not be a career-critic, a social media warrior or a dyed-in-the-wool critic, but he is no accident to criticism or in talking truth to power.

And that brings us to the present. If the man has a history of criticism – why are some people trying to pin his dissatisfactions with this government on his failed ministerial quest? When he criticised the Yar’adua, Jonathan and Buhari governments – was it because of missed ministerial opportunities too?

We must outgrow this penchant for importing trivia into serious conversations with the aim of obfuscating the flow and diverting attention. It is beneath us.

But even this ministerial thing – let’s talk about it, briefly. We are all witnesses to history or the backstory. In the race to 2023, there were promises, dissuasions and persuasions.

With 2023 sealed and delivered, were the promises kept?
If so, is the joke really on the former governor or on those to whom trust also means trash?

So, is el-Rufai’s criticism of Tinubu’s nepotism (he prefers cronyism) justified? A look at all those in control of the commanding heights of the Nigerian economy, including the Armed Services, makes countering the charge a most embarrassing venture.

Hailers may see it as “merit,” but that can only be true if merit is a plant that only flourishes in the South-West, and particularly Lagos!

What the rest of us see is micro-nationalism, the inauguration of a Golden Age, not for Nigeria, but for one of the over 300 ethnicities that comprise her. It’s, indeed, a Golden Age that’s not altogether golden.

It may be tempting to refer el-Rufai to the eight years of Buhari’s nepotism and his silence. But dare we now compare the unschooled Buhari, with the cosmopolitan Tinubu who schooled in America, worked with multinational corporations across the globe and built Lagos, vAfrica’s biggest economic megapolis?

Dare we suggest that Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, now copies from Katsina, and that the Renewed Hope Agenda was merely Next Level politics?

And it’s not that the nepotism and the cronyism are delivering results. As Suleiman A. Suleiman has put it: “Fat people are becoming slim; and slim people are dying.” And if people cannot eat, can they save or live with hope?

These are the issues. This is the ugly reality.

But they are not new issues. They are only enjoying prime discussion and raising adrenaline levels because el-Rufai has added his voice to it.

That’s the midget’s influence. Even outside the power loop, he stands today as one of the North’s most consequential, most magnetic and most sophisticated politicians. This is why what he says – whether casually or seriously – carries weight. The less perceptive may dismiss the small man, but not the serious power-players.

And let no one be deceived by the lie that el-Rufai is a liar. Doesn’t being a liar make him a family member? And doesn’t that burnish his political credentials and make him a very important member of the political class? Aren’t some of us (or our heroes) thieves, witches, cultists, murderers, perjurers, con-artists, addicts and all?

And, by the way, since when have the masses been averse to lies on the campaign trail?

This is why I believe it is in his party’s interest to listen to him, and take remedial measures. Already, he is a presidential material, and he may graduate into a presidential candidate. It can complicate things.

If the party and the government go on with the dismissive attitude, I fear that el-Rufai may double up on forging strategic alliances and renewing friendships, all geared towards harnessing the general discontent in the land, turning the pervasive anger into revolutionary energy and, possibly, weaponising same for as much political capital as possible, Come 2027.

Imobo-Tswam, a retired newspaper editor, writes from Abuja. He can be reached at simonpita2008@gmail.com

NEWS

NBA Slams Ibom Air over Passenger’s Undignified Treatment

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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the treatment of Ms Comfort Emmanson aboard Ibom Air, describing it as reckless, unlawful and a grave violation of her right to dignity.This is contained in a statement signed by the NBA President, Mr Afam Osigwe (SAN) and the General Secretary, Dr Mobolaji Ojibara.

Report says that on Aug.
10, an incident occurred aboard an Ibom Air flight involving Emmanson.
NBA described the manner in which Emmanson was removed from the aircraft as dehumanising.NBA noted that video footage showed an Ibom Air hostess blocking Emmanson’s exit from the plane.The association noted that the conduct could constitute false imprisonment and provocation, potentially escalating the situation.
NBA expressed outrage over allegations that Emmanson was publicly stripped of her clothing, humiliated, filmed and had the footage circulated online.The association viewed the photographing, dissemination and online circulation of indecent images of her as both degrading and a serious invasion of privacy, constituting a criminal act.“Even if the incident had to be reported, the footage should have been blurred or edited in a way that did not expose her nudity to the public,” NBA said.The association stressed that those responsible for capturing and distributing the unedited footage must be identified and prosecuted.They warned that such acts erode public trust and undermine the rights of all citizens to be treated with dignity and respect.NBA considered the lifetime ban on Emmanson from flying Ibom Air or any other, as heavy-handed, legally and morally indefensible, and in breach of the principle of fair hearing.The association argued that only the relevant statutory regulator had the authority to suspend or restrict a passenger’s flying privileges, not private entities or airlines.The NBA demanded that Ibom Air lift the lifetime ban on Emmanson and issue a public apology.NBA urged the Minister for Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and sanction those responsible.The association pledged to provide Emmanson with pro bono legal support to protect her rights and seek redress for the violations she suffered. (NAN)

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NEWS

NLC Urges Crude Sales to Dangote in Naira

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Lagos State chapter, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise selling crude oil to the Dangote Refinery in Naira. Lagos NLC Chairperson, Funmi Sesi, made the appeal during a Tuesday tour of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Ltd.

by Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) members and NLC officials.
Sesi said compelling the refinery to import crude or buy locally in dollars undermined the promise of reduced fuel prices for Nigerians.
“This country has crude oil in abundance. Why is Dangote still importing crude or paying in hard currency for locally produced crude?” she asked. “If the government truly wants to lower fuel prices and support local refining, it must sell crude oil to Dangote in Naira,” she added.
According to her, sourcing crude locally in local currency would significantly reduce operational costs and lead to a sustainable drop in fuel prices. The union leader praised Dangote Ltd. for creating a transformative national asset that helps bridge Nigeria’s fuel supply gap, creates jobs, and boosts industrial capacity. She said the scale and strategic importance of Dangote Group’s investments were already delivering measurable benefits to Nigerians. “Today, we have seen the refinery, the fertiliser plant, and other investments in this axis. The size and impact are enormous and impressive,” she said. She described the projects as clear efforts to improve essential product availability, create jobs, and advance Nigeria’s industrialisation. Following the removal of petrol subsidies, Nigerians faced a sharp rise in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) costs. She said Dangote’s refinery entry helped stabilise prices. Sesi noted that Dangote’s operations had significantly lowered PMS and other refined product prices, demonstrating private sector leadership in the industry. “With a 650,000-barrel daily capacity, this refinery can serve Nigeria and West Africa. We also saw large vessels exporting fertilisers to other countries,” she said. She praised Aliko Dangote for building a fully operational, world-class refinery that meets domestic and regional refined petroleum needs. Sesi also commended the production of Euro-5-compliant fuel with reduced sulphur content, aligning with global environmental standards and enhancing Nigeria’s market reputation. “This is the pride we want — a Nigerian company producing at global standards, changing the narrative, and boosting our global standing,” she said. She also lauded Dangote Fertiliser Company, which already exports to international markets, urging government support to improve food security and reduce imported agricultural inputs. Dangote Industries Vice President, Oil and Gas, Devakumar Edwin, said the refinery was addressing Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined products. He said it was setting a foundation for a sustainable, competitive refining industry that would benefit the national economy. Edwin revealed plans to deploy 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks to distribute refined petroleum products nationwide. He said the CNG trucks would ensure domestic refining benefits and lower fuel prices are fully passed to Nigerian consumers. According to him, the CNG fleet would reduce logistics costs — a major contributor to pump prices. “The deployment of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks will help pass down domestic refining benefits and lower product prices to consumers,” he said. He clarified the aim was to improve distribution efficiency, not displace existing operators. Edwin added that CNG trucks are environmentally friendlier and cheaper to run, helping to make refined products more affordable nationwide. (NAN)

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Foreign News

Gaza: UNESCO Condemns ‘Unacceptable’ Killing of Journalists

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The United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has strongly condemned the killing of six journalists in Palestine by an Israeli drone on Sunday.UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.“I condemn the killing of journalists Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammed Al-Khaldi and call for a thorough and transparent investigation, she said.

Five of the six worked for the influential Qatari-based media organisation, Al Jazeera.
Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh were on-air correspondents, while Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa worked as camera operators.
Mohammed Al-Khaldi was a freelance photojournalist.They were reportedly killed by an Israeli attack on a tent used by media personnel at the entrance of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) alleged that the 28-year-old al-Sharif was a serving Hamas operative.Al Jazeera strongly denies this, describing the attack as an “assassination” and “yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom.”The UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert on freedom of expression had on July 31 denounced an Israeli military spokesperson’s “repeated threats” and “unfounded accusations” against Al-Sharif.The council had described the allegation as “a blatant attempt to endanger his life and silence his reporting” in Gaza.Two Special Rapporteurs on Tuesday described the killings as “an attempt to silence reporting on the ongoing genocide and starvation campaign” in Gaza.“It is outrageous that the Israeli army dares to first launch a campaign to smear Anas Al-Sharif as Hamas in order to discredit his reporting and then kill him and his colleagues for speaking the truth to the world,” they said.The experts demanded an immediate investigation into the killings and full access to international media, which Israel currently bars from entering Gaza.Special rapporteurs and other independent experts are appointed by and report regularly to the Human Rights Council.They work in their individual capacity, are not UN staff and receive no payment for their work.UNESCO chief Azoulay stressed that targeting journalists reporting on conflicts is unacceptable and violates international law.She also reiterated her call to respect UN Security Council Resolution 2222, which was unanimously adopted in 2015 to protect journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in conflict situations.UNESCO reports that since Oct. 2023, at least 62 journalists and media workers have been killed in the line of duty in Palestine.This excludes deaths in circumstances unrelated to their work, while OHCHR reports that at least 242 Palestinian journalists have been killed in the same time frame. (NAN)

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