The comments made by Defence Minister Christopher Musa about former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have continued to spark reactions, with some Nigerians challenging his claims while others have defended the minister.
Musa, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, accused El-Rufai of policies and actions which he said contributed to division and insecurity in Kaduna State during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.
The minister alleged that El-Rufai’s administration created divisions between communities, particularly between residents of Southern and Northern Kaduna.
His comments generated considerable debate on social media, with several commentators questioning the basis of the allegations.
A teacher, Nura Bako Zango, argued that ethnic and religious conflicts in Kaduna predated El-Rufai’s administration. He referenced previous crises, including the 1992 Zangon Kataf conflict and the violence that followed the 2011 presidential election, while calling for a broader examination of the state’s history.
Abdulmatin Muhammed Jibril also challenged Musa to provide evidence supporting his allegations and questioned whether the minister had publicly raised concerns about the former governor during his tenure.
Other commentators, including Ibrahim Idris Muazzam and Sani Ahmed, dismissed Musa’s accusations. They argued that Kaduna’s ethnic and religious divisions existed before El-Rufai became governor and maintained that his administration should not be solely blamed for them.
However, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, defended Musa’s position.
Lawal argued that the experiences and grievances of people in Southern Kaduna during El-Rufai’s administration should not be ignored simply because his supporters disagreed with the minister’s assessment.
In a strongly worded comparison, Lawal said some Southern Kaduna residents viewed El-Rufai in extremely negative terms, likening their perception of him to the way Jews regard Adolf Hitler. He also said the administration of Governor Uba Sani was attempting to address some of the longstanding divisions in the state.
Meanwhile, Victor Mathew Bobai, Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs to Governor Uba Sani, urged Nigerians to focus on the substance of Musa’s comments rather than speculating about his political intentions.
Bobai stressed that Musa was expressing an opinion during a television programme and had not issued any military directive or announced a defence policy concerning El-Rufai or any political party.
The controversy comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with El-Rufai now a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress.
