Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, said that
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State is never known to be sycophantic in
nature, describing him as fearless and a courageous man who speaks truth to the
powers that be.
The governor noted that it was only El-Rufai out of courage
that insisted that the 2023 presidency must go to the southern part of Nigeria
for the sake of unity and progress of the country.
This was as the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,
represented by a former Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Kashim
Imam, in a message to the occasion, described governor El-Rufai as a
hardworking person, noting that “give El-Rufai any task, he will deliver it.”
Tinubu donated N20 million for the book launch.
The duo spoke at a book presentation on El-Rufai, titled,
‘Putting The People First,’ authored by a veteran journalist and public
commentator, Emmanuel Ado, in Kaduna on Saturday.
The book was reviewed by a former Nigerian Television
Authority’s ace newscaster, Eugenia Abu.
Wike recalled the controversial letter El-Rufai wrote the
President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in March 2017, where he
challenged Buhari to deliver the people’s expectations to avoid being on the
wrong side of history.
He added that Governor El-Rufai was an embodiment of courage
that could tell the truth to the powers that be, not minding the consequences
as a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, noting that he had never
been known to be sycophantic in nature.
The governor who donated N20 million for the book launch
admonished other guests on the occasion to buy the books and stock them in
public and private schools libraries across the country.
This was just as he also admonished the Kaduna State
governor-elect, Senator Uba Sani, to build on the legacy of Governor El-Rufai
for the greatness of the state.
He said, “El-Rufai, for me is one leader that who’s
greatness defies categorisation. Governor El-Rufai embodies character,
commitment and hard work. He is bold. He’s courageous and daring with a strong
spirit of Justice, equity, and fairness.
“He (El-Rufai) is socio-politically assertive and unbending
in his loyalty to principles. Governor El-Rufai is never known to be
sycophantic. I could remember his controversial letter to President Muhammad
Buhari, especially the one written in March 2017 that challenged him to deliver
the people’s expectations to avoid falling on the wrong side of history.
“I don’t know how many governors will have the courage to
write a seating president of his party to say, ‘Look do the right thing’ being
the expectations of the people so that you will not be on the wrong side of
history. It takes men of courage; it takes men of character.
“No sycophantic person can do that. I don’t know people who
can even look at the president’s face. Everything that Mr. President do is
right. Mr. President does no wrong. That’s not El-Rufai for you. His loyalty to
principles is not for not telling the truth. And that is what leadership and
the kind character that we required for this country today.
“Those who will look at you eye ball-to-eye ball, not an
insulting way, but to advice you, this is not right. And that is why some of us
have no choice but to relate to him. You remember what happened in this
country. El-Rufai was one of the APC governors who came out boldly to say look
for the unity of this country; for this country to move forward, let the
presidency go to the south.
“After all, he has all it takes to say, to also say he will
vie for the presidency of this country. You can’t say no. But he said this is
the country we are building together, we want unity to move forward. I don’t
know how many people that can set aside their selfish interests and come out to
say let us go to the South. And that’s why we will say “agreement is
agreement.” El-Rufai believes that agreement is agreement. Keep to what we have
agreed.
“That’s why when I saw the invitation, this morning, it was
raining heavily, I said if it likes, let there be flood everywhere, I must be
here today, to participate, honour a man who has shown character; who has shown
that service is not all about getting to be elected. It’s a privilege to render
service to your people. That is why he has chosen the people first; he has put
Nigeria first. You are on the right side of history.
“Remember that it’s only when you have left office that is
when people will talk about you. Not when you are in the office. People are
talking today when you were FCT Minister. Let us compare. When you were FCT
Minister, I am sorry to say this, whether anybody likes it or not, that is not
Abuja today.
“When you were FCT Minister, it was not the same. We need
people like you to turn back to what Abuja used to be. FCT was a place
everybody wants to go back to. But today, go to FCT, refuse everywhere. That
was not there when you were a minister. I am sorry this is your party but the
truth must be told.
“I believe that today’s event has a deeper meaning than the
book launch. It is more an opportunity to celebrate governor El-Rufai’s
exemplary leadership, revolutionary ideas, courage and commitment to service
and contribution to the growth and development of Kaduna State and Nigeria in
the last 8 years as governor of Kaduna State.”
Also speaking, El-Rufai thanked Wike for all the accolades
about him, saying, “Our path may not have crossed long before now but God’s
time is the best. Whatever Wike said about me is also applicable to him. He is
as outspoken and as fearless.”
El-Rufai promised to continue to sack any bad person that
need to be sacked in his government as well as demolished bad structures till
the last hour he would be leaving office on May 29.
“Any bad thing we find we will remove so that the next
governor does not need to do it again. Watch out till the eleventh hour when we
shall quit office we will continue to sack bad persons and remove bad things,”
he said.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
You cannot be taller than history.
ReplyDelete