Nigerians Slam El-Rufai Over Muslim/Muslim Statement

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – On Wednesday, the former Governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai came under attack after he stated that the Muslim/Muslim governorship ticket in the state and also in the nation will be sustained beyond 20 years, by the grace of God.
The African Examiner writes that El-Rufai was addressing a group of Islamic scholars and he stated that he nominated a fellow Muslim as running in 2019 because he knew they would win without the votes of Christians in the state.
He said: “Whenever I’m asked why I nominated a fellow Muslim, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe as running mate in 2019, I’ve replied that the majority of none Muslim electorate do not vote for our party. Why then should I cede the running mate position to them?
“More so that I’ve calculated that we can win without their ballots, so why do I have to give them to the deputy governor’s office? When we went campaigning the last time, they asked but we didn’t tell them exactly so.
“In politics, all that matters is to win, that’s why you go for people who’ll vote for you. We’ve done our survey, the outcome is that we don’t need them to win, so we don’t have to give them the deputy governor. Since the return of democracy, I’ve been able to identify our winning demography; that’s one.
“The second thing we want to prove, which we’ve been able to do in the past four years is that a government where the governor, deputy governor, Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff and the finance commissioner are all Muslims, Christians would have their rights protected. We intend to showcase the justice that’s embedded in Islam.
“This we’ve defended everywhere we went. Granted, Kaduna State Government is dominated by Muslims, but can anyone prove that the rights of Christians were violated under us? Better still, is there any district where we didn’t build roads, hospitals, or schools; or is there such a district where we didn’t support farmers through our agricultural scheme, whether or not they voted for us? Absolutely there’s none.
“Of course, for instance, we got more votes from Kubau, that’s why I’ll provide more democracy dividends there. Yes, I have to deliver double what I’ll take to Jaba to Kubau. This is in tandem with what you, the Imams and clerics have taught us; this type of Islamic leadership is driven by justice for all.

“Our revered prophet and his companions cohabited with the Jews, Christians, and even unbelievers and they all were loyal to him because he upheld justice for all. And by the grace of God, this Muslim/Muslim system would be sustained beyond 20 years.”The statement of the former governor has sparked social media outrage. The AFRICAN Examiner gathers some of their thoughts below:

@MalcolmInfiniti writes: “El RUFAI recent public address on Muslim Muslim ticket and Muslim dominance in Nigeria shows that he is a religious bigot, an Islamic fanatic, a Jihadist and terrorist. All his education did not help improve his person.He is a primitive man and an hypocrite not to be trusted.”
@General_Oluchi writes: “Isa Pantami was rewarded with a Communications Minister job after pandering to terrorists. He was handsomely rewarded by General Buhari. So El-Rufai’s reward is on its way.”

@isaelbuba writes: “The man called El-rufai shall never begin war in our beloved nation. We as Christian’s are going to stand up and speak because we will never be silenced because of some men who have decided to tear our country apart. Must watch!!!”

@Morris_Monye writes: “El Rufai’s long game is to stoke religious fire, get all the Muslim clerics to his side which automatically makes him very popular in the North (Like another Buhari) then boom he becomes President. Of course, Christians ever so divided along ethnic lines will pave the door open.”

@Orji_Okosisi1 writes: “In all of this, what is hurting me the most is that, El-Rufai was one of the first f00ls who labeled Peter Obi on nat’l TV channels “religious bigot” and “tribal bigot,” and a lot of f00ls ran with it. Some Nigerian Christians are the most stup!d set of ppl I’ve seen in my life.”

@Spotlight_Abby writes: “bashir el-rufai confirms his father’s video. But someone legit argued that hell-rufai is a detribalised national hero because he has a Yoruba spokesman. He also hoped that the midget would just deny the video & everything would be great again. Keep deceiving your cheap selves..”

@Morris_Monye writes: “It is not El-Rufai who holds responsibility for this, but rather the Christian community who must take a deep look within in their journey of introspection. El-Rufai has merely spoken from his own perspective, which is restricted by his narrow comprehension of the things.”

@AaJessehalliday writes: “El Rufai claims he is intelligent but Islamization words like this are not said by intelligent people, He should be ashamed of himself for harmful words like this.”

@mindset_tweet writes: “El-rufai knows the card he is Playing. For the time Tinubu stays as the selected President, it will be a “Political suicide” to have El-rufai in his kitchen cabinet. If you doubt me, go and inquire from OBJ, Atiku, and Chibuike Amaechi.”
Donnel Chime’ Alison writes: “I feel embarrassed for the likes of Mr Kayode of Arise news.What did el Rufai say in that video that he’s not expressed via subterfuge severally before now? It shows hw easily deceived some can be. This is plainly El Rufai in all his glory. Wasn’t shocked.”

@emmaikumeh writes: “El-Rufai is doing something that alot of people don’t understand. El-Rufai is busy trying to wake up a religious base, he is trying to use the same Buhari template, which is to make himself look.”