Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja — A statement attributed to former Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir El‑Rufai recalling his past confrontations with Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (late) and Goodluck Jonathan has resurfaced as a topic of political discussion among analysts and commentators, illuminating the combative style that has marked the veteran politician’s public life. Though the remark was made nearly a decade ago, its recent circulation online has renewed interest in El‑Rufai’s political rhetoric and history of engagement with senior national figures.
At a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna City in September 2017, El‑Rufai used a pointed metaphor to describe his confrontational relationship with political leaders then and in the past. Video excerpts from that event show him telling party members: “Go and ask Umaru Yar’Adua and Jonathan, they were presidents, I fought with them — one ended up in the grave, another ended up in Otueke.” The phrase referenced the death of Yar’Adua in office and Jonathan’s return to his hometown of Otuoke after the 2015 election.
The quotation — widely shared on social media platforms and political forums — reflects El‑Rufai’s self‑description as a hard‑edged political operator who does not shy away from confronting even the nation’s most powerful leaders on policy or political direction. Analysts note that such rhetoric was part of his broader messaging during intra‑party conflicts within the APC at the time, as he sought to assert his influence and fend off critics within the party’s Kaduna chapter.
El‑Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and earlier held federal office as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has a long record of outspoken commentary on political developments in Nigeria. Throughout his career, he has periodically clashed with senior figures across the political spectrum, including past presidents and rival party leaders. Scholars and commentators have observed that such confrontations have contributed to his reputation as a polarising figure who combines sharp critique with assertive political strategy.
The 2017 remark was delivered at a period when El‑Rufai was navigating internal power struggles within the APC in Kaduna State, some of which revolved around control of party structures and nominations. His invocation of Yar’Adua and Jonathan has since been interpreted as a rhetorical appeal to strength and resilience — a way of signalling to political adversaries that he remained a formidable contender in party politics.
While the quote is often circulated in isolation online, there is no recent verified mainstream news report in which El‑Rufai has repeated this exact phrasing in current public commentary. Mainstream reporting on his political positions in the last year has focused on his criticism of the federal government, his assertion that he played a role in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rise to power, and his vocal engagement in national policy debates, but those reports do not include the specific “ask Yar’Adua and Jonathan” wording as a new or contemporaneous statement.
Political analysts say that the resurfacing of the older remark underscores how El‑Rufai’s political identity continues to be shaped by past confrontations and his willingness to engage in direct challenge to established authorities. While some observers view such rhetoric as emblematic of robust political engagement in a competitive democracy, others warn that references to deceased or former leaders in combative terms can inflame partisan sentiment.
El‑Rufai himself has not issued a fresh statement in response to the renewed circulation of the 2017 clip. In his more recent media appearances, he has maintained focus on current governance issues, including critiques of leadership direction and internal party dynamics, rather than on personal conflicts with past presidents.
As Nigeria’s political landscape evolves ahead of the 2027 general election, El‑Rufai’s style of outspoken engagement — rooted in both historical clashes and present commentary — continues to be both a defining feature of his public persona and a subject of debate within political circles.
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