Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is now paying the price for what he described as irresponsible leadership and misgovernance during his tenure.
Sani made this known while reacting to El-Rufai’s recent comments that he had been abandoned by friends, family members and former associates whom he had supported while in public office.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday night, Sani said El-Rufai’s current situation should be viewed against the backdrop of how he allegedly treated political opponents and disregarded the rule of law during his time as governor.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, is currently in detention following his arrest over allegations of corruption during his administration.
Sani, who himself spent four years in prison, said he understood the difficulties associated with detention but argued that El-Rufai’s loss of political relationships could partly be attributed to being out of circulation.
He said: “I think he has been in detention for about 200 days, and for someone like me who has been in prison for four years, I don’t think anyone can lecture me on detention and the pains of imprisonment. But it’s natural that when you are out of circulation, you are bound to lose friends.
“El-Rufai is paying the price for his misgovernance and irresponsibility when he was in public office.
“I have heard a lot of people expressing sympathy for him, but my own is this: when you are in office, always remind yourself that being in office is a very temporary opportunity for you.
“He was in office; he had no respect for the rule of law; he didn’t obey court orders; he arrested many people and sent them to jail. Today, he has found himself in the very place where he took so many people.
“From 2015 to 2023, we saw a lot of misgovernance, irresponsible leadership and the use of statecraft to attack and jail opponents in Kaduna State.”
Sani’s comments come amid growing attention to El-Rufai’s detention and his recent remarks about feeling abandoned by people he had previously supported.
The former senator maintained that those who occupy public office should remember that political power is temporary and that their actions while in office may have consequences after leaving power.
