‘Nigeria cannot afford to waste El-Rufai’s knowledge, experience’ – Makarfi

A former Kaduna State governorship candidate, Hayatuddeen Lawal Makarfi, has said the experience and reform credentials of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai are too valuable for Nigeria to waste because of political differences.

Makarfi, who contested the Kaduna governorship election in 2023, made the call in a statement while describing El-Rufai as one of the most misunderstood political figures of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.

He alleged that El-Rufai’s prolonged detention was politically motivated, claiming that there had been rumours that the former governor was being kept in isolation until after the May 29, 2027 inauguration.

“Nigeria needs experienced leaders who are willing to take difficult decisions and implement reforms, especially at a time when the country is facing serious economic, security and governance challenges.

“Nigeria’s investment in Nasir El-Rufai is too significant to be discarded,” he said.

He traced El-Rufai’s career from his education at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and further studies at the University of London and Harvard Kennedy School of Government to his work in the private sector and later public service.

Makarfi credited El-Rufai’s tenure as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises with contributing to telecommunications reforms that ended NITEL’s monopoly and paved the way for the GSM era.

He also highlighted El-Rufai’s time as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, citing his defence of the Abuja Master Plan and the introduction of the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).

According to him, “El-Rufai’s approach in Kaduna focused on strengthening government institutions and giving ministries, departments and agencies greater responsibility to manage and execute their duties.”

He said the former governor introduced reforms in areas including education, internally generated revenue, fiscal management, housing, urban renewal and local government administration.

He argued that states needed leaders who were willing to challenge established interests and accept criticism in the short term for the sake of long-term development.

“Nigeria cannot afford to waste the knowledge and experience El-Rufai has gained over the years, especially now that the country needs economic reforms, stronger security institutions and better governance.”

“History favours nations that protect their reformers,” he said.

He called for El-Rufai’s release and political elevation, comparing him with leaders such as Lee Kuan Yew, Paul Kagame and Julius Nyerere.