El Rufai not a supporter of democratic principles, ruled state with arrogance – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has lambasted ex-governor Nasir El-Rufai, asserting that he never genuinely supported democratic principles and ruled the state with arrogance.

Sani added on Monday, September 1, that El-Rufai has been angry and frustrated since leaving office in 2023.

“For people like Nasir, when they found themselves in office, they don’t know what democracy is all about because they didn’t fight for it,” Sani said.

“He was an unknown figure before 1999 and became DG of BPE. He has never been in a cell for one day. He has never been in prison.

“For me, as you see me here, I have been through the rough times of my life. I have been through many prisons. I have been through many police stations.

“I have served so many years. I wore prison uniform. I wore leg chains. I wore handcuffs as a political prisoner fighting for this democracy that is 25 years old.”

Sani criticized politicians like El-Rufai, arguing that those who rise to power through the system without personal struggle often rule with arrogance.

He described the former minister as angry and frustrated after being unable to retain political influence in Kaduna and at the national level.

“He had this high sense of entitlement and expectation that he’s going to have a governor he can manipulate in Kaduna State. That failed,” Sani added.

“He thought he was going to be in the cycle of power at the federal level. That also failed. And now he has returned back to mischief.”

On Sunday, August 31, El-Rufai claimed that suspected attackers who disrupted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition meeting in Kaduna were backed by the government.