APC Chieftain To El-Rufai – Don’t Set Nigeria On Fire With Religious Bigotry

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau state, Chief Samuel Kwamkur, has cautioned immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai not to set Nigeria on fire with his religious intolerance, unguided and mischievous utterances.

Kwankur, while reacting to statements credited to El-Rufai in a trending video, expressed serious disappointment at the utterances, stressing that the classification of the citizens of a state by el-Rufai as ‘them versus us’ was an indication that the former governor cannot be exonerated from “the wanton killings, demolition of houses and places of worship of Christians in Kaduna state.

El-Rufai, in the trending video allegedly told his audience before handing over to his successor that the Islamic dominance in Kaduna State had been successfully replicated in Nigeria and that it shall continue.

The former governor also said in the video that; “in the course of the electioneering campaigns, when ‘they’ (Christians) tried to ask questions on why the Muslim/Muslim Ticket, he deceived ‘them’ that it was not for religious dominance when in reality, the tickets both nationally and at the state level were for Islamic dominance.

In the video that has gone viral on social media, el-Rufai also claimed Bola Tinubu’s victory had silenced the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), saying that he will sustain an Islamic-dominated government for 20 years and unending not only in Kaduna State but in Nigeria at large

But, Kwankur, who was also a National Director of the CAN, told journalists at a press conference in Jos on Sunday, June 4, 2023 that he was taken aback to have watched El-Rufai in the video utter such divisive statements, given that the ex-Governor was among those considered qualified for appointment as the Chief of Staff to the President or Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Kwankwur said; “It is sad that El-Rufai turned himself into a ‘confirmed religious bigot’ with a hidden agenda to destroy the country using religion”.

“Ordinarily, I have heard Islamic clerics preach that Tinubu’s Muslim/Muslim ticket is in furtherance of an Islamisation agenda, and despite that, I am one of those who contributed in discouraging Christians and Nigerians from accepting such as true because I believe in the antecedents and character of His Excellency, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

“But, hearing from a political leader like el-Rufai, a close associate of Tinubu and Shettima, an active participant in the campaign who was contemplated as one of the qualified persons to be appointed as the Chief of Staff to Mr President or Secretary to the Government of the Federation, confirmed that there is a hidden agenda to be mindful of.

“In the said address, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai spoke like one of the religious bigots that have been working underground to set the nation on fire. Amongst his ill-motivated statements which I can only paraphrase for now, El-Rufai confirmed that he is a leader of the Islamic terrorist group operating in the Sambisa forest albeit disguising himself as a governor in a complex nation like Nigeria.

“Firstly, El-Rufai in his speech, wondered why he should give ‘them’ a deputy governor when most of ‘them’ cannot vote for his party. That he calculated and discovered ‘we’ can win an election without ‘them’ hence why give ‘them’ a deputy?

“From El-Rufai’s classification of the citizens of his state as ‘them’ versus ‘us’, one needs no angel to tell you that he cannot be exonerated from the wanton killings, demolition of houses and places of worship of Christians in Kaduna.

“Secondly, Mallam El-Rufai went further to state that Islamic dominance of government in Nigeria will bring peace, Justice and fair play. He assured the gathering that he will sustain an Islamic-dominated government for 20 years and unending.

“This outburst reiterates his extreme fanaticism and displays his ignorance of what constitutes justice, equity and fair play. Discrimination, ethnic profiling and all genocidal attempts to consume a race or religion constitute injustice and are recipes for anarchy and crisis.

“Thirdly, he told his audience that in the course of the electioneering campaigns, when “they” tried to ask questions on why the Muslim/Muslim Ticket, he deceived ‘them’ that it is not for religious dominance but in reality the tickets both nationally and at the state level were for Islamic dominance.

“He boasted that the Islamic dominance in Kaduna has been successfully replicated in Nigeria and it shall continue. He said further that the victory of Asiwaju has silent the Christian Association of Nigeria.

“The question is: is it only Muslims that voted for Asiwaju? Who voted for Atiku and Peter Obi? I guess it was only Christians! How could a sitting governor, former Minister of the Federal Republic and a potential key government appointee be this callous and insensitive?

“I recall in one of my visits to a friend in Kaduna, he expressed his views about Mallam el-Rufai’s involvement in the killings in Kaduna and I kept arguing that he should be given the benefit of the doubt but, watching El-Rufai address the Muslim Umma, I have no doubt in my mind that El-Rufai is one of those behind the unending religious crisis and insecurity in Nigeria,” he said.

Kwankur also said; “For the record, Christianity does not practice deception as a principle or mode of operation. The Holy Bible admonishes Christians to say the truth at all times. Christians are also taught unconditional love regardless of religion, region and background.

“In the Christian faith, the Holy Book frowns against religious discrimination and dominance. The definition of Justice, equity and fairness is hinged on providing platforms for the involvement of all regardless of their population, religion and tribe.

“We also believe that God is the giver of life and power; he gives to whoever He wishes and takes it at the time He so wishes. Hence boasting of any sort is an open challenge to God’s sovereignty.

“Being a member of the Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC), I have closely interfaced with respected Islamic leaders of high repute and found out that there are Muslim leaders, unlike el-Rufai who are deeply concerned about the peace, development, and growth of Nigeria without pretence.

“Truly speaking el-Rufai is a setback to the peace process that NIREC has been battling with in the midst of religious upheavals. El-Rufai has exhibited blatant misuse of the trust that God gave him and confirmed that he is an extremist who has largely contributed to the pains of the very people he took an oath to protect in the guise of working for his religion.

“It should be known that we did not vote Tinubu out of El-Rufai’s deception (Taqiya) as he claimed! It should be made known to el-Rufai that against his wild imagination of achieving an Islamisation agenda through the dominance and persecution of Christians, Christianity grows better in persecution and supposed dominance.

“We shall continue to preach inclusiveness, equity and fair play in the true sense of these words. We shall never practice deception to cling to power. No! It is against our faith,” he said.