A Kaduna-based legal practitioner and former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Mark Jacob, has said that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, should be disregarded, alleging that he is merely seeking public attention.
Speaking exclusively in an interview regarding the recent arrest of the former governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the ex-PDP Legal Adviser stated that El-Rufai thrives on publicity.
“El-Rufai wants to be heard, and the more attention he receives, the more he relishes it. He should be ignored and allowed to deal with the APC he helped bring to power,” Jacob said.
He further alleged that El-Rufai had repeatedly claimed ownership of the North and significant influence over Nigeria’s political landscape, describing himself and his allies as key figures within the APC. Jacob added that during celebrations of the Muslim-Muslim ticket victory, El-Rufai allegedly described it as a testing phase for a broader political strategy aimed at consolidating power in both Kaduna State and across Nigeria.
“So whatever a man sows, so shall he reap. I see everything going on as the grand design of the APC. The whole thing happening is the law of Kama and it will catch up with everybody.”
Mark advised that when one is in power, one has to be careful especially in a democratic process like Nigeria where power is for a short period.
According to him, “The APC that El-Rufai, Bola Tinubu, Mohammad Buhari and others gave birth to is an evil contraction that means no good to anybody. That is the more reason why Nigerians are suffering since 2015. Everything this country laboured for has been destroyed. Both at the National and international level. Nigeria has missed it and we have become a laughing stock and nobody takes Nigeria seriously anywhere.
“We have no value, we are just a setup. The world looks at us and shakes its head because Nigeria was projected to provide leadership in Africa. Sadly, those in power do not seem to realize the position they have brought Nigeria into. They are not bothered about what happens in the country but are busy driving the most expensive cars and getting ready for 2027 general elections.”
He explained that the arrest of Nasir El-Rufai by the EFCC does not add anything or substrate anything from society, saying that the pains the citizens of Kaduna are passing through where civil servants are not sure for their future was enough reason to wave aside the controversy. He stressed that people are just living in fear over insecurity across the state.
According to him, “These are issues that should take the center stage in the state, lamenting that the civil service has been destroyed by the APC with jobs taken over by contractors. What is the hope of the common man? It should be the issue to be looked into with a view of putting things in order for the overall benefits of the people.”
But analyst, Suleiman Abubaksr told that, “The strength of any democracy lies in its respect for the rule of law. No individual, no matter how highly placed or politically influential, should be above legal scrutiny. When a public figure openly admits on national television that a phone belonging to the National Security Adviser was tapped for his benefit, the matter ceases to be political rhetoric and becomes a serious legal concern.
According to him, the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, reportedly acknowledged during a television interview that someone tapped the phone of the National Security Adviser so he could listen to a private conversation, saying that when veteran journalist Charles Aniagolu pointed out that such an act was illegal, El-Rufai agreed.
He opined, “This is not a trivial issue. The office of the National Security Adviser plays a central role in safeguarding Nigeria’s security framework. If the communication of such a sensitive office can be illegally intercepted, it raises disturbing questions about national security, institutional protection, and the rule of law.
“In any serious society, an admission of involvement in illegal surveillance would immediately trigger investigation. Who carried out the tapping? Under whose authority was it done? Was it sanctioned by any lawful court order, or was it a rogue operation? These are not political questions; they are legal and security questions that demand answers.”
Calling for arrest and questioning in this context, according to him is not persecution but it is a demand for accountability, stressing that if an ordinary citizen admitted to participating in an illegal interception of a top security official’s communication, that citizen would certainly be invited for questioning as the same standard must apply to a former governor.
The analyst stated that Nigeria cannot afford selective justice as the integrity of state institutions depends on equal application of the law, pointing out that if the allegation is unfounded or misrepresented, a proper investigation would clear the air, but silence or inaction would only deepen public distrust and create the impression that some individuals are untouchable.
“There is also a dangerous trend in Nigerian politics where lawful scrutiny is quickly framed as political victimization. Should the authorities decide to invite El-Rufai for questioning, it must not be twisted into a narrative of tyranny or witch-hunt. President Bola Tinubu or any administration in power has a constitutional responsibility to uphold the law, not to shield allies or pursue enemies.
“The demand here is simple: let due process take its course. Let the security agencies investigate. Let the facts be established. If wrongdoing is confirmed, consequences should follow in accordance with the law. If not, the individual involved will have the opportunity to clear his name through lawful procedures,” he submitted.
An APC stalwart, Alhaji Suleiman Haruna believes that if the law failed to take its caused on the former governor whom he alleged bluntly did not recognize the judiciary when he was the governor of the state, it will be a turning point for other Nigerians to act same way.
According to him, the former governor should be made to face the full wrath of the law if found guilty of any offense he committed.
“As Nigerians, we are watching to see what will happen to him. Will justice be done to him or it will amount to nothing?”
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