The Northern Youths Frontiers (NYF) has sharply criticised former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over remarks he made at a political event in Sokoto, describing them as inflammatory, self-centred, and out of sync with the present-day realities and expectations of the Northern region.
The youth group expressed disappointment, alleging that El-Rufai’s recent outbursts stem from his frustration after failing to secure a ministerial role—a rejection by the Senate reportedly linked to growing distrust in his leadership style and personal integrity.
In a statement signed by Saminu Tukur, the NYF’s North West Zonal Coordinator, the group claimed El-Rufai was attempting to stir regional discontent in a bid to reclaim relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The NYF contended that El Rufai’s veiled threats about 2027 and inflammatory rhetoric amount to a desperate attempt by a politically irrelevant figure to reinsert himself into the national discourse through controversy, divisiveness, and desperation,” the statement read.
“We believe that his utterances were reckless, self-serving, and wholly unrepresentative of the views and aspirations of the North. Let it be clear that El-Rufai does not speak for Kaduna State, and certainly not for the North.”
The group maintained that El-Rufai’s political style—driven by “bitterness and ambition”—has been rejected by a region now seeking unity, peace, and development. It asserted that his Sokoto comments only served as reminders of a political legacy the North is ready to move beyond.
“His brand of politics, driven by personal ambition and bitterness, has long been rejected by the people. The North today stands for unity, peace, and national development, not the outdated politics of division and discord. His remarks in Sokoto only serve to remind Nigerians of his fading relevance and toxic political legacy.”
The NYF further accused El-Rufai of turning his back on influential figures who played pivotal roles in his political rise, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, and late President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Most egregiously, El-Rufai betrayed the very people that had propelled him to national relevance such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who mentored him and influenced his appointment at the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), former President Obasanjo who trusted him as FCT Minister, and late President Buhari whose popularity he exploited to become Kaduna State Governor, he discarded their alliances for personal advancement.”
“Till today, El Rufai holds grudges with the late President Yar’Adua, who refused to massage his ego through patronage and political appointments.”
The youth group argued that El-Rufai’s conduct proves he is not committed to any ideological cause, only his own political survival. They described him as manipulative and self-serving, with no allegiance to the leaders who once supported him.
NYF also revisited El-Rufai’s eight years in Kaduna Government House, describing his administration as high-handed, divisive, and marred by insecurity and failed policies.
“Kaduna under El-Rufai became one of the most insecure states in Nigeria, with banditry, kidnapping, and mass killings in areas like Birnin Gwari and Southern Kaduna left abandoned while his government watched. We remind Nigerians that the same El Rufai, who sacked over 22,000 teachers, which led to a crisis in the education sector, and falling standards rather than improvement, cannot offer any better alternative to the masses.”
The group alleged that his government plunged Kaduna into debt, despite claims that the loans were meant for infrastructure development.
“The organization further noted that El-Rufai left Kaduna with heavy debt from loans purportedly taken for infrastructural development, yet many projects remain irrelevant to the needs of the people.”
The NYF accused El-Rufai of fuelling ethnic and religious divisions during his tenure, warning that putting him in a national leadership role would risk expanding those same fault lines across the country.
“The NYF contended that El Rufai only deepened ethnic and religious fault lines, and thus cannot be trusted with power at the national level, else he will nationalise and widen the fissure of mistrust he had sowed in a diverse state like Kaduna.”
They further criticised his efforts to remain politically relevant through controversial rhetoric, stating that the North has moved beyond such tactics.
“We believe that he is simply seeking to inflame regional tensions with careless political statements to nurse a bruised ego after being rejected by the people and sidelined in national politics. His actions and utterances are rooted not in ideology but in a desperate grasp for relevance and patronage.
“The NYF averred that he no longer enjoys the confidence of his people or political peers. The North is not his fiefdom. We reject his false claims and condemn his attempt to drag the region into petty political fights that serve no one but himself.”
Concluding, the NYF urged young Nigerians, particularly from the North, to prioritise unity and innovation over divisive rhetoric and retrogressive politics.
The group urged the youth across Northern Nigeria and beyond to shun divisive rhetoric and focus on building bridges of understanding, unity, and national development. Our future as a region lies in collaboration, innovation, and collective progress, not in the bitter politics of has-beens.
“The NYF remains committed to promoting peace, responsible leadership, and policies that uplift our people across all states in the North,” it said.
