El-Rufai Shares Fresh Political Thought Amidst Alleged ₦432 Billion Corruption Prosecution

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, took to his official X handle over the weekend to express his thoughts on what he described as ‘envy’ within Nigeria’s political class.

His comment comes on the heels of serious allegations of corruption and misappropriation of government funds during his tenure as governor.

The Kaduna State House of Assembly recently accused El-Rufai’s administration of siphoning a staggering ₦432 billion, leaving the state burdened with significant debt liabilities.

The allegations surfaced after the Assembly’s ad hoc committee, set up to investigate the finances, loans, and contracts awarded under El-Rufai’s administration, submitted its report in June.

According to the committee’s chairman, Henry Zacharia, many of the loans secured during El-Rufai’s eight-year administration were allegedly not used for their intended purposes.

The report further claimed that due process was often ignored when securing these loans, raising serious concerns about financial mismanagement.

The Speaker of the Kaduna Assembly, Yusuf Liman, stated that the El-Rufai administration allegedly diverted a total of ₦423 billion, leaving the state with substantial financial liabilities.

In light of these findings, the committee recommended that security and anti-corruption agencies investigate and prosecute El-Rufai and certain members of his cabinet for alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and money laundering.

Additionally, the committee called for the immediate suspension of the current Commissioner of Finance, Shizer Badda, who also served under El-Rufai’s administration.

However, in a long post on his on X handle on Saturday, El-Rufai, who described envy as an ‘incurable disease,’ said he doubted if it could be cured among the political class.

He said, “WEEKEND REFLECTION: “NONE of us has to fail for ALL of us to succeed. And in unity there is strength.” – @VP Kamala Harris, US Vice President (2021-2024) and Democratic Presidential Candidate at the Democratic National Convention.

“The quote above led me to reflect on the meaning and implications for our situation in Nigeria. Feelings of envy require that EVERYONE fails for ONE to succeed.

“Envy is quite prevalent amongst the key actors in our political system. Competence, capacity, and commitment are some personal leadership qualities that attract the envy of those lacking or deficient in these indices.

“Instead of striving to attain, the envious seeks to hate and destroy those that are better. Envy leads to hatred.

“Hatred leads to destructive thoughts and actions, including unspeakable crimes like perjury, malicious prosecution, persecution, unlawful imprisonment, torture and even murder for the target(s) of the envy.

“Can the incurable disease of envy amongst Nigerians, particularly within the members of the political class be cured? Personally, I doubt it.

“The emerging problem of Nigeria is the outcome of the continuously deteriorating competence, capacity and commitment of the political leadership.

“Societies succeed or fail depending on these personal and institutional qualities.

“No matter what, the incurable virus of ENVY has to be confronted and degraded, if not cured, if Nigeria is to achieve its manifest destiny of greatness and leadership of the Black Race. I pray this can be realized. Amen.”