IS EL-RUFA'I A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR? (A Perusal Of Chief Obasanjo's Verdict)

    By
          John Danfulani,Ph.D           Johndanfulani@gmail.com

Yes, he is. So said Chief Olusegun Mathew Obasanjo his boss from 2002-2007 in his memoir "MY WATCH". Here is Chief Obasanjo's words: "He was described as a malicious liar. He was more than that ; he is a pathological purveyor of untruths and half truths with no regards to integrity ........".

I thought Baba Iyabo wasn't happy with Mr.El-rufa'i's version of Third Term narration in his controversial book Accidental Public Servant". But after piloting the affairs of Kaduna State from 29th May 2015 to date, I now believe Aremu of Otta's straightforward judgment.

Hey before you wear a stone face or contemplate hatching the usual conspiracy theory, take a look at the following claims:

(1) While chatting with three crooks who called themselves journalist on 6th April 2016 on Sunrise Daily of Channels Television, he said;one LGA in Kaduna State has more Gold Reserve than the entire gold reserve of the rainbow nation. After a while, a UK research centre faulted his laughable claim.

2. In the same Channels Television interview he said; Muslims constitutes 70% while Christians 30% of Kaduna State's population. A check with the body responsible for head count in Nigeria( National Population Commission) shows that, their last exercise had no column that inquired peoples religion. With that, nobody knows how many Christians or Muslims we have in Nigeria, let alone Kaduna State.

3. While flagging off sales of fertilizers in Giwa LGA, he said Kaduna State's fertilizers will be the cheapest in the country. A perusal of the entire prices of fertilizers in Nigeria shows that, Kaduna State's fertilizers are the most expensive in the entire federation. KDSG sold theirs at N6000 and it is  N10000 in the black market. For example Katsina, Kano and many North West States are selling fertilizers as low as N2000.

4. He told the world in his now famous Channels Television interview that: "killings in Southern Kaduna have more or less stopped". From the day he made that statement to the time of writing this piece, dozens of villages of Southern Kaduna have come under assault from unknown known gunmen. A few days ago, villages in Godogodo Chiefdom in Jema'a LGA came under attacks while sleeping. The assault(s) annihilated  11 people and destroyed properties worth millions of Naira.

5. On 6th April 2016 while mesmerizing historically empty Channels Television crew in their morning show Sunrise Daily, he said the 2011 post elections crisis catch up with trans-borders Fulanis returning home after their annual long distance grazing. A search in all history books including oral tradition shows that Southern Kaduna not a route of such a purported annual movement. And on his claim that kith and kin of those killed are responsible for the genocide in Southern Kaduna, that claim is not part of the discoveries made by a Commission of Inquiry set up by Kaduna State Government under Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa or Gen. Agwai's committee he set.

6. In his first broadcast to the state, he promised running a slimmer and effective government. Thus, he reduced the number of ministries and political appointees. But in less than one year, he created many agencies that ministries, department, and parastatals were effectively and professionally performing their duties. A day ago, he converted the department of rural development under the office of the Deputy Governor to a ministry with a Commissioner. Similarly, he has increased the number of permanent secretaries in the state.

7. When many states were crying of inability to pay salaries of their workers and filed papers for a Federal Government bailout to pay salaries, he refused to join the queue under the pretext that he is picking his salaries bills without tears . While misleading the larger Nigerian populace,thousands of workers were not receiving their salaries. He hid under the umbrella of a verification exercise that there is no end insight. As I write, some worker have not seen their salary alert for 9 to10 months in Kaduna State.


With these few instances cited, is there any doubt left on Chief Obasanjo's judgment and my total support to it? Can any of his surrogates in government and those of his All Progressives Congress (APC) dispute any issue narrated herein? Once a so-called leader tells one too many lies like this, is there any hope for those under his care?

For those who care and those who don't want to regret, when Mr. El-rufa'i says good morning; get out and take a look at the sun before returning his salutation. This counsel is of great value, please.