Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says claims that
he said President Bola Tinubu used religion to win the presidential election,
are manufactured falsehoods.
In June, a Twitter user, Will. E, had posted a video where
el-Rufai, flanked by Uba Sani, his successor, was seen addressing a group of
Muslims in Hausa, shortly after Tinubu was declared winner of the election.
Will. E translated the video and accused el-Rufai and the
APC of using religion to win the election.
The video sparked angry reactions on the social media
platform.
Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social
Democratic Party(SDP) in the last election, described el-Rufai’s remarks as
“provocative and inherently bigoted”.
‘THEY HAVE MADE UP
THEIR MINDS’
Speaking at the launch of an autobiography and retirement
programme of Ishaq Akintola, a professor at the Lagos State University (LASU),
el-Rufai said he chose not to respond to the distortion of his statement
because those involved have no regard for truth or accuracy.
“The recent furore
and hysteria about my pre-inauguration remarks regarding politics and
governance in Kaduna state and the electoral victory of the Asiwaju-Shettima
ticket should be understood,” he said.
“I thank MURIC and many concerned individuals and
organisations that rose to my defence and even offered accurate translations of
my remarks and the key messages contained therein.
“I have chosen never to respond to these distortions and
manufactured falsehoods like Islamisation, Fulanisation and the like because
those that engage in these deliberate distortions will do so and have no regard
for truth or accuracy.
“They have made up their minds about the message and the
messenger whether I speak or not.
“So for those that
care about the truth, my message in Kaduna was simple – leadership based on
Islamic (and indeed, even Christian) principles is fair and equitable – and
prescribes that a leader must be fair and just to everyone – whether Muslim (or
Christian) or not.”
The former federal capital territory (FCT) minister added
that he is “pleased to observe that the much-derided and opposed
Tinubu-Shettima APC ticket not only won the presidential election, but has
shown within weeks that the Muslim-Muslim presidency is capable of being fair
to every one – Muslim and non-Muslim alike”.
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