As I write this, I want you to please read with an open mind, do not see me as a supporter of Mallan Nasir El-Rufai and please just read this as a write up from a Nigerian youth who seem to understand the thinking of our old do or die politicians who have no plans for we the youths of this nation.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court was yesterday, March 21, 2012, told that a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai and two of his officials unilaterally revoked some juicy plots of land and allocated same to themselves, their relatives and their companies.
A former operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission(EFCC), Mr. Sunday Idowu, made the disclosure while being led in evidence by counsel to the EFCC , Adebayo Adelodun, SAN, in continuation of the trial in an eight-count charge of abuse of office brought against them by the EFCC.
Mr Idowu, an Inspector of Police gave detailed steps taken by his investigative team in unravelling facts behind the accusations against the accused persons.
“We interacted with interested parties notably Abuja Geographical Information Services (AGIS), Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) among others who gave us insight into what actually happened,” the police officer said.
He said that his team identified an official memo written by a senior official of FCDA advising against the irregular conversion of the plots.
“At AGIS, investigation revealed that plots 1201 and 3352 which were originally allocated to PHCN and NIPOST were revoked and then re-allocated to 9 private individuals including two wives of the former minister, daughter of former President Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo–Bello, a serving senator, Philip Aduda and the 2nd and 3rd accused persons,” Mr Idowu said.
Now, this man Mr. Idowu gave his testimony based on "interactions he had with certain officials of some government agencies", he did not provide written prove that El-Rufai criminally instructed that those plots of land be transfered to his wives. Let me remind you that we Nigerians were at some points in time praising this same El-Rufai for positively transforming the FCT. This same man came back home willingly to clear his name. Below are my points and the reasons why I feel certain politicians want to rubbish his reputation simply because they see him as someone who is intellectually capable to rule this country if he is given the chance to.
During the last days of the Obasanjo administration, the former EFCC Chairman described El-Rufai as the "de facto No. 2 official", tagging him with the role of a Vice-President, especially after the fall-out between the former President and his Vice-President. It is believed that Obasanjo's trust and confidence in El-Rufai angered a vast number of the political elite within the country. Indeed, it was widely believed that the former President was considering blessing EL-Rufai as his successor. However, it was believed the vast political powers against him were too much, probably as a result of the fear of what may happen to them once he was in power.
Many view El-Rufai as an incorruptible public servant who can get difficult jobs done, especially after he ordered the demolition of the house of the Chairman of the ruling party in Nigeria. However, since the end of the Obasanjo administration, El-Rufai has kept a very low profile, but still remains an Obasanjo loyalist having frequently defended the former President's policies.The administration of the President, Umaru Yar'adua appointed El-Rufai to the National Energy Council in September 2007, due to the belief that he could contribute positively to the under-achieving power sector of the country. Nasir resigned the appointment in June 2008, and on 30 April and 7 May 2008, El-Rufai appeared before the Nigerian's Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory to explain some exposed and corrupt actions of his administrattion. He attempted to justify his actions and stoutly rejected cynics views on the allegation that he allocated plots of land to his friends, brother and cronies, and it was clear that many of the Senators had lost properties during the restoration of Abuja by El-Rufai and were therefore just out to get their pound of flesh. To a vast amount of Nigerians, El-Rufai is simply being witched-hunted for stepping on the toes of the corrupt political elite within the country. This is largely because, unlike a number of aides to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nasir El-Rufai has still not been accused of money laundering or any bribery scandal apart from these allegations of land allocation.
Now as a youth, I want to put certain questions to you; don't you think the same set of Senators whose houses he demolished and the former PDP chairman whose houses he also demolished when he was in power would want to fight back? Don't you think that there are certain northern politicians who are not comfortable with his relationship with Obasanjo would be scared? or would want to get back at him? Do not forget that El-Rufai is not the only one these old men plan to rubbish o, they did the same thing to Ribadu, Femi Fani Kayode and many other great young minds that helped Obasanjo transform the the fortunes of our economy.
My point is this, please don't judge El-Rufai yet until he is proven guilty. My name is Wale Akala, I am a Yoruba young man and not from the north. Thank You
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