El-Rufai’s Claim Of Bugging NSA’s Phone, Alarming, His Biggest Political Mistake” – Prof Okey Ikechukwu

By Adesina Soyooye

“This is  frightening. I don’t see anybody joking with it”

Professor Okey Ikechukwu, an accomplished academic and political analyst, has come down hard on former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai over the laters claim that he got information from an unknown person who bugged the mobile phone of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu.

Professor Ikechukwu, in his criticism of El-Rufai’s comment described it as one of the most significant political mistakes of El-Rufai’s public career.

He spoke on Arise Television Tuesday, where he, also, said El-Rufai’s comments were presented as factual assertions rather than speculation, especially, his claim that the NSA’s communication lines were tapped in his favour.

Ikechukwu: “Well, the statements of Nasir El-Rufai are not gestural or, if you like, he wasn’t guessing. He made very specific statements declaring that the communication lines of the NSA is, if you like, tapped.

“He declared even more convincingly, in case you’re doubting him, that it’s not only the government that has the capacity to do that.”

Breaching the privacy of a public office holder, he maintained,  especially where confidential information is involved, amounts to  a violation of privacy, as well as an intrusion into national security infrastructure.

He emphasized: “You have no right to violate anybody’s privacy. If somebody is holding a public office, and violating the privacy of confidential information or information access to that office it is also a violation of privacy. On top of that, it is an encroachment on the infrastructure of national security.”

He pointed out that El-Rufai’s comments could have serious political implications for him, and noted that it touches sensitive national security concerns.

Ikechukwu: “I may be mistaken, but this seems to me to be one of El-Rufai’s biggest political mistakes in his career as a public officer.”

Ikechukwu, also, said El-Rufai’s statement could raise concerns among countries battling insurgency and terrorism in the region.

His words: “It’s a matter of national security. Remember there are four countries under pressure from Boko Haram and terrorists – Nigeria, Benin, Niger and Chad. Those countries will be interested in his statement.”

He described the situation as alarming, and insisted that the statement may have been made for political advantage but has generated more controversy than expected.

His words: “So this is a frightening statement that has to be treated with every seriousness. It was intended to get political mileage. Well, he has got more mileage than they can handle. I don’t see anybody joking with this.”