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Tag: El-Rufai

Hadiza El-Rufai Reveals She Never Planned For Polygamy But Chose To Stay In Marriage

Wale busari03 mins

Hadiza El-Rufai, first wife of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that entering a polygamous marriage was never part of her plan when she got married. Sharing her perspective on X on Sunday, she responded to a discussion sparked by a lawyer’s announcement that he was taking a second wife. “My husband was raised in a polygamous family, while I, by contrast, grew up in a monogamous one,” she wrote. “When we agreed to get married, I envisaged a monogamous marriage, even though the subject was never discussed.” She explained that the marriage later became polygamous by her husband’s choice, but she ultimately chose to remain in it. “Now I find myself in a polygamous marriage, not by choice initially, but subsequently by choice,” she said. “Not by choice initially because the transformation from monogamy to polygamy was my husband’s decision, and subsequently by choice because staying in the marriage was mine alone.” Hadiza also noted that under Islamic law, a woman can leave a marriage without giving a reason, provided she returns her dowry. “Could that have influenced my decision to stay? Perhaps, but by that time, I had already used my dowry,” she added. Reflecting on her experience as the first wife, she highlighted some advantages, including more time to focus on her career, personal interests, and children, as well as sharing family responsibilities with co-wives. She, however, said she could not see any benefit of polygamy for men and encouraged people to make personal choices that suit them. Nasir and Hadiza El-Rufai met in 1976 at the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and married in Kaduna in 1985. Hadiza is a writer and novelist, and they have children together.

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El-Rufai Alleges Tinubu Illegally Withdrawing N100bn Monthly From Federation Account

Wale busari02 mins

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has accused President Bola Tinubu of unlawfully deducting N100 billion every month from the federation account without legislative approval. Speaking on ‘Prime Time,’ a programme on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST, El-Rufai said the practice is unconstitutional and qualifies as an impeachable offense. He claimed that the unauthorized deductions have been ongoing for over 15 months, totaling about N1.5 trillion. “Government data. I’m not quoting something out of the air. That 100 billion that goes out every month from the Federation account, without appropriation by the National Assembly—and by the way, without appropriation by the state assemblies, because part of the money belongs to the states—each state assembly is supposed to appropriate that portion. The entire deduction and expenditure is unconstitutional. It’s an impeachable offense, but it has been going on for more than 15 months from the last time I checked,” El-Rufai said. He questioned how the funds were being used, noting the worsening security situation: “So where has that 1.5 trillion gone? What is it being used for? Why is the security situation just getting worse? Why is the government asking communities to protect themselves?” Reflecting on the current state of affairs, El-Rufai added, “Look, if you asked me in 2022 or 2023 when we were campaigning that things would ever be this bad, I would say that you are mentally ill.”

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El-Rufai Denies Endorsing Any Region For 2027 Presidency, Labels Reports Fake News

Wale busari02 mins

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has denied reports suggesting he endorsed a specific region to produce Nigeria’s president in 2027. Posting on his verified Facebook page, El-Rufai described the circulating claims as “fake news” and clarified that he had not made any such statement in speeches, interviews, or social media posts. He emphasised that his views should only be attributed to him when expressed on his official social media accounts or through recognised media outlets. El-Rufai also warned against misrepresenting opinion articles from other authors that he may share, noting that such distortions mislead public discourse. “These caveats are crucial as we confront both irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media for spreading fake news,” he wrote. He criticised media organisations and senior editors for publishing unverified information, calling it part of the “unedifying olympics of fiction and fakery” prevalent on social media. “The deliberate attribution of claims I never made by fake news platforms should not be taken seriously,” he added, urging society to uphold accuracy in reporting. El-Rufai concluded by stressing the importance of verifying information before sharing, especially in today’s climate of widespread misinformation.

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El-Rufai Alleges Kaduna Government Paid ₦1 Billion To Bandits, Sparks Outcry

Wale busari02 mins

Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has accused the current state administration of paying ₦1 billion to bandits, igniting a political controversy. Speaking at a recent public event, El-Rufai claimed the government has been not only making payments but also negotiating with and issuing apologies to criminal groups responsible for ongoing attacks across the state. “One billion naira was paid to bandits by the current Kaduna government. They are paying bandits and apologizing to them. If the governor or anyone disagrees, let them come out and deny it — we have the evidence and proof,” El-Rufai said. The allegations have drawn strong public reactions amid Kaduna’s persistent security challenges, which include killings, mass abductions, and attacks on schools and highways. Security experts warn that if the claims are confirmed, they could severely damage the credibility of the government’s security strategy. Residents and political observers are now calling for transparency and an official response from the state government regarding the handling of Kaduna’s security situation.

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Obasanjo Says He Rejected El-Rufai As Successor, Chose Yar’Adua Instead

Obasanjo Says He Rejected El-Rufai As Successor, Chose Yar’Adua Instead

Wale busari02 mins

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he declined a proposal to make former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, his successor after leaving office in 2007. El-Rufai, who served as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under Obasanjo’s administration, was reportedly recommended for the presidency by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka. Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform symposium, Obasanjo recounted how Chidoka lobbied for El-Rufai to succeed him when he was preparing to leave office. “Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said, referring to Chidoka. The elder statesman then turned to Chidoka and asked, “No be so (Is that not true)?” to which Chidoka nodded in confirmation. Obasanjo continued, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needs to mature. You remember? “When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’” Obasanjo eventually backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his successor, a decision that marked the transition of power in 2007.

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El-Rufai Slams Tinubu Government as Nigeria’s Most Failed Administration

El-Rufai Calls for Federalism, Elite Consensus to Secure Nigeria’s Future

Kamal Yalwa02 mins

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on Nigerians to embrace true federalism, credible elections, and an elite consensus as the foundation for the country’s stability and progress over the next 65 years. El-Rufai made this appeal while engaging clergy, professionals, and citizens in Owerri, the Imo State capital, where he stressed the urgent need for a shared national vision to address Nigeria’s lingering structural challenges. He noted that despite democratic gains since the return to civil rule in 1999, public participation in elections has drastically declined. “Voter turnout has fallen from over 60 percent in 2003 to barely 27 percent in 2023, reflecting growing estrangement from the electoral process,” he observed. According to him, Nigeria, projected to surpass 400 million people by 2050, remains structurally fragile despite being the world’s most populous Black nation. The former FCT Minister listed widespread poverty, youth unemployment, inflation, and rising public debt as urgent issues that threaten the country’s stability. He emphasized that the solution lies in forging a new elite consensus — an agreement among political leaders, business stakeholders, and civil society on the nation’s direction. “Nigeria needs an elite consensus to define our national priorities, strengthen federalism, and restore faith in the electoral process,” El-Rufai said.

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SDP Expels El-Rufai, Bans Him from Party Activities for 30 Years

SDP Expels El-Rufai, Bans Him from Party Activities for 30 Years

Fola Badmus02 mins

Kaduna, Nigeria – July 28, 2025The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has officially expelled former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, and banned him from all party-related activities and membership rights for the next 30 years. The announcement was made on Monday in a statement issued by the SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba. The party accused El-Rufai of falsely presenting himself as a member without undergoing proper registration processes, a violation of party protocols and Nigeria’s electoral regulations. According to the statement, El-Rufai allegedly forged documents to claim membership in Unguwar Sarki Ward of Kaduna North LGA and assigned himself membership number “001”. Despite making public declarations on social media that he had joined the SDP, investigations by the party revealed that he never completed the required registration at the ward level. The SDP also accused the former governor of using the party’s name in unauthorized political dealings, attempting to pull the SDP into coalition arrangements without the consent of its leadership, and destabilizing party structures with “obscene inducements, misinformation, and manipulation.” “Effective immediately, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai is excommunicated from the Social Democratic Party, with a 30-year ban from applying for membership or associating with the party in any capacity,” the statement read. The party said it has notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant bodies of the decision. The SDP reaffirmed its commitment to internal discipline, ideological clarity, and ethical political engagement, urging all prospective members to adhere strictly to its constitutional procedures.

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El-Rufai Declares Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election Impossible, Slams APC and Defectors

Fola Badmus03 mins

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has declared that President Bola Tinubu has no realistic chance of winning re-election in 2027, insisting that anyone who believes otherwise is “living in another country.” In a bold statement shared via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) chieftain said the Nigerian people have lost confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the presidency, citing growing dissatisfaction with the government’s policies. “Anybody that thinks it is possible for President Bola Tinubu to get re-elected is living in another country, not Nigeria. It is impossible for Bola Tinubu to get re-elected,” El-Rufai said during the interview. He further argued that even the weakest opposition candidate would defeat the president in a head-to-head contest due to mounting public frustration and economic hardship. “I don’t see a pathway for him,” he added. The former FCT Minister dismissed the ongoing wave of defections to the APC as politically motivated, saying many of those joining the ruling party are either “greedy” or fearful of prosecution by anti-corruption agencies. “It is greedy and hungry politicians and those that are looking for money, contract, appointment, office that are defecting,” he stated. “The other class of those defecting are those that know that the EFCC or ICPC can intimidate them, because they know what they have done if they have done what is not quite right.” El-Rufai, a former Tinubu ally during the 2023 elections, has since defected to the SDP and is now building an opposition coalition ahead of 2027. He revealed that the alliance includes prominent figures like former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. According to him, the real contest in the next general election will not be between political parties but between the APC and ordinary Nigerians. “The ruling party’s popularity has faded across the country,” El-Rufai declared. The former governor’s remarks have further intensified speculation about cracks within the APC and the likelihood of a formidable opposition emerging ahead of the next presidential election.

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