Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says he has never spoken ill of his predecessor, Nasir el-Rufai, despite the strained relationship between them.
Sani made this known during an interview on Tuesday, where he said he continued to hold the former governor in high regard despite his prolonged detention.
“Honestly speaking, I have no problem with him. If you listen to me carefully, I’ve never said anything bad about him, and I will never say anything bad about him,” Sani said.
El-Rufai is facing trial over allegations of money laundering and conversion of public property. He has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since February 19, following his release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Kaduna governor said his silence on the case should not be interpreted as abandonment of his predecessor, adding that he had taken steps to demonstrate his respect for el-Rufai but preferred not to disclose them publicly.
“People might not understand certain things. I’m a very discreet person, and as a matter of respect, many things I’ve done to show my respect for him and my regard for him, I don’t think I should come out and say them, because when you respect someone, you don’t come out to say certain things,” he said.
Sani also maintained that he had not withdrawn or disowned his previous positive remarks about el-Rufai.
“I can tell you today: everything I’ve said about him, honestly speaking, I’ve not gone back to refute it. Have you ever seen me refuting anything? No. This is who I am,” he said.
The governor added that he continued to consult former governors, including el-Rufai, on matters relating to governance.
“By my nature, all the people who were former governors, Nasir el-Rufai and all, if you ask them, I still consult them,” Sani said.
He cited road construction as one area in which he sought the advice of his predecessors, saying he had consulted one of them the previous week about roads he intended to construct.
Sani said consultations with former governors allowed him to benefit from their experience, stressing that no governor had a monopoly on wisdom.
El-Rufai governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and was succeeded by Sani, who had been his preferred candidate. However, the relationship between the two politicians deteriorated after Sani assumed office.
Boluwatife Enome
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