TDF Accuses El-Rufai of False Claims, Says Allegations Aim to Destabilise Nigeria
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TDF Accuses El-Rufai of False Claims, Says Allegations Aim to Destabilise Nigeria
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Democratic Front on Sunday accused former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, of making what it described as spurious allegations against the Federal Government and the National Security Adviser in a bid to stir tension across the country.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group alleged that the former governor’s claims were politically motivated and intended to mislead the public.
The group was reacting to allegations by El-Rufai concerning the alleged importation of Thallium Sulphate, a toxic substance, by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
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Describing the claims as false and reckless, TDF said the allegation was a calculated attempt to distract Nigerians from ongoing investigations into the alleged diversion of N432bn during his tenure as Kaduna State governor.
“We consider El-Rufai’s behaviour as rascally, uncouth and irresponsible because his claims on the importation of Thallium Sulphate by the Office of the National Security Adviser are not only false but politically intended to mislead the public over his alleged diversion of N432bn from the treasury of the Kaduna State Government,” the statement read.
The group further accused the former governor of acting irresponsibly by making weighty allegations in the public space without what it termed verifiable documents to support his claims.
TDF also expressed concern over what it described as El-Rufai’s public admission of being privy to the alleged illegal tapping of the telephone line of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
“This, in our view, is a criminal breach of national security and an irresponsible act from a self-acclaimed law-abiding public figure,” the group stated.
It, however, commended the Federal Government for instituting legal action against the former governor, urging relevant authorities to ensure that the law takes its full course.
The group also faulted El-Rufai for allegedly failing to await official clarification on a letter he reportedly sent to the Office of the National Security Adviser before making the allegations public.
“It is astonishing that a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and a two-term governor would disregard due process on official correspondence by inundating the public space with unverified allegations capable of sparking anxiety and unrest,” the statement added.
TDF further recalled that the Kaduna State House of Assembly had, in a 2024 report submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alleged that N432bn was diverted through multiple channels between 2015 and 2023 under El-Rufai’s administration.
According to the group, the controversy surrounding the alleged importation of Thallium Sulphate was a deliberate ploy to undermine investigations by the anti-graft agency and portray the probe as political persecution.
It maintained that the conduct of the former governor was unbecoming of a political leader of his stature and called on security agencies to ensure accountability in the interest of national stability.
