“You’ll be out of power one day like everyone else” – El-Rufai to Tinubu and his men

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has sent a strong message to members of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, urging them to act with responsibility and remember that no political power is permanent.

El-Rufai made this statement on Thursday, July 10, during the unveiling of the book OPL245: The Inside Story of the $1.3b Nigerian Oil Bloc, authored by Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Speaking at the event, El-Rufai emphasized the importance of documenting public service experiences through memoirs.

He commended Adoke for writing the book and urged other public officials to do the same.

“We don’t try it enough in this country,” he said. “I appeal to those in power today to remember that their turn will come. Our turn always comes.”

El-Rufai reflected on the controversy surrounding the Malabu oil deal, stating that Adoke had played a significant role in the peaceful transition of power in 2015 when former President Jonathan conceded to Muhammadu Buhari.

“He was one of those who stood behind President Jonathan and persuaded him to concede,” El-Rufai stated. “We should actually thank him as the APC government of 2015, not persecute him.”

He added that during his discussions with former President Buhari, there was no indication of personal bias in the prosecution of Adoke, stressing that Buhari only insisted on upholding the rule of law.

The Malabu oil scandal, also known as the OPL 245 case, involves the 2011 sale of one of Nigeria’s richest oil blocs, OPL 245, to Shell and Eni for $1.3 billion.

The deal has been mired in allegations that $1.1 billion of the funds was funneled through middlemen and paid as bribes to Nigerian officials.

Adoke, who was accused of involvement in the deal during Buhari’s tenure, has since been discharged and acquitted by both Nigerian and international courts.

El-Rufai said he looked forward to reading the book for a deeper understanding of the events and to gain insights into what transpired behind the scenes.

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