Breaking: We are not afraid of anybody – El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has said that he and others are not afraid of anyone in Nigeria.

He said this as a follow-up to his interview on Channels Television where he castigated the cabal in Aso Rock.

El-Rufai had said in the interview that the cabal was out to frustrate the emergence of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2023 elections in Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said despite the lofty objectives of the redesigning of the Naira notes and removal of subsidy, which has led to petrol shortage, those pushing it are making President Muhammadu Buhari to implement great policies at the wrong time.

He said: “I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way.

“They had their candidate.

“Their candidate did not win the primaries.

“They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right.

“I will give two examples: this petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of Naira, was something that we all agreed would be removed.

“In fact, I had a discussion with the President and showed him why it had to go.

“Because how can you have a capital budget of N200 billion for federal roads and then spend N2 trillion on petroleum subsidy?

“This was a conversation I had with the President in 2021 when the subsidy thing started rising.

“He was convinced.

“We left.

“It changed.

“Everyone in the government agreed, and it changed.

“The second example I will give is this currency redesign.

“You have to understand the President.

“People are blaming the Governor of the Central Bank for the currency redesign, but No.

“You have to go back and look at the first outing of Buhari as president.

“He did this.

“The Buhari, Idiagbon regime changed our currency and did it in secrecy with a view to catching those that are stashing away illicit funds.

“It is a very good intention.

“The President has his right.

“But doing it at this time within the allotted time does not make any political or economic sense.”

El-Rufai, who spoke with the BBC Hausa on Thursday, further said in the interview yet to be fully released: “Respecting people is not fear.

“I swear we don’t fear anyone in this country.

“So we are not fearful.

“We are respectful, but if you show us you are not an elder, I swear we will fight you.”