Darazo: Defence Minister’s El-Rufai Criticism Was About Kaduna, Not Southern Kaduna, Not Religion

From Paul Orude Bauchi

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State and loyalist of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Khamis Musa Darazo, has rejected attempts to give a religious or sectional interpretation to comments by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, on the administration of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai.

Darazo, who spoke with journalists on  in Bauchi, said the Minister’s reference to “our people” was directed at the people of Kaduna State generally and should not be interpreted as referring exclusively to Southern Kaduna.

He argued that the impact of El-Rufai’s administration was felt across the state, stressing that grievances over the former governor’s style of governance were not confined to any particular religious or ethnic group.

“The reality is that the grievances surrounding El-Rufai’s style of governance were felt across Kaduna State and not exclusively by the people of Southern Kaduna,” he said.

Darazo also dismissed suggestions that Musa’s comments were motivated by religious considerations, describing such an interpretation as misplaced.

“The Minister did not call out Nasiru El-Rufai because he is a Muslim. That interpretation is completely misplaced.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani are both Muslims, yet both have continued to demonstrate efforts toward reducing division and promoting unity,” he said.

The APC chieftain called on Nigerians to resist attempts to turn the issue into a religious or regional controversy, warning that doing so could further deepen existing divisions.

“As a loyalist of President Tinubu and someone who believes strongly in national unity, I will not support attempts to turn this matter into a religious or regional confrontation,” he stated.

He explained that the expression “our people” should be understood within the wider context of Kaduna State.

“Our people can never mean only Southern Kaduna. It means the people of Kaduna State as a whole.

“Different communities experienced different challenges, and it is unfair to erase the experiences of others by presenting the matter as though it concerned only one section of the state,” Darazo added.

He urged Nigerians to focus on the substance of the Minister’s remarks rather than what he described as attempts to distort them along religious or sectional lines.

According to him, the country needs responsible leadership that will promote peace, justice, unity and security irrespective of ethnic, religious or regional differences.

“Kaduna belongs to all its people, and no community should be made to feel that its experience does not matter,” he said.