Hakeem Baba-Ahmed To El-Rufai: “Limit The Damage, Focus On Allegation That You Stole People’s Money”

By Adesina Soyooye

Embattled former Governor  of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has been advised to limit the emanating damage around him and focus on the allegation that he stole money which belongs to the people.

The advice to El-Rufai who has spent a second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, came from Hakeem  Baba-Ahmed, a former Presidential Special Adviser on Political Matters, Office of the Vice President.

Speaking duing a television interview on Tuesday, he decried the bitter relationship between  El-Rufai and National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, and described it as poisonous.

Baba-Ahmed, a strong voice in Northern politics, perhaps, not sure El-Rufai would take his advice pointed out that the former Governor is a difficult person to advice and expressed sadness that the very strong relationship between Ribadu and El-Rufai has become poisoned.

He said:  “I am extremely saddened by the development. I know both gentlemen and the depth of their personal relationship, and I see this as one of the poisonous elements of our politics.

“If you can actually poison a relationship of this nature so deeply, then we are in very serious trouble. It is very saddening to see this relationship degenerate to the point that their personal bond is now so poisoned that nobody seems to consider the consequences. We are dealing with a situation of two friends threatening to take legal action against each other.

“Mallam El-Rufai, by character, is a very difficult person to advise. If I were to advise him, I would say there are so few fronts worth fighting. Try to limit the damage and focus your attention on addressing allegations that you stole money from the people.”

Ribadu and El-Rufai, close friends and strong political allies, but a relationship now estranged, have been throwing allegations at each other in recent weeks. The result I’d that El-Rufai has been charged to court on allegations of cyber crime and more.