Finally, the silent war in the ranks of shakers and movers of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State has bopped up to the surface, with the principal actors, Governor Nasir el-Rufai and Senator Shehu Sani, set for a big clash.
The tiff between the governor and Sani, who represents Kaduna Central, became more pronounced with the demolition of a factional headquarters of the party, an operation which the governor was alleged to have personally led with the aid of some military personnel.
But el-Rufai is not in disagreement with Sani alone; he is embroiled with other party stalwarts, who have fallen out with him on a number of issues.
The building, which was located on 11B, Sambo Road, GRA, Kaduna, belonged to Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) and housed the secretariat of the factional Kaduna Restoration Group, led by its Chairman, Danladi Wada.
The faction had recently handed el-Rufai and his aides a six-month suspension over alleged anti-party activities and this, to many, was the climax of many months of bitter bickering between the two factions.
While it is believed in some quarters that the demolished secretariat, which was a symbol of the defiance of some party members who opposed el-Rufai’s style, might bring some respite to the state, others, however, excoriated the governor for such a move, describing it as an act of terror.
The Senate had condemned the demolition of the secretariat. Senator Shehu Sani, during the plenary, and coming under a point of order, said he wondered how Governor El-Rufai, a democratically elected governor, would demolish a building without notice.
He noted that the demolition was coming a year after the residence of the Vice Chairman of APC, North West Zone, was allegedly demolished by the governor.
“Governor El-Rufai is an affliction on Kaduna State. He is a curse to us. We want to call on Buhari to caution his son. If this crisis is not nipped in the bud, it will grow into something bigger. We in Kaduna State cannot accommodate somebody who has the tendencies of Adolf Hitler, Mobutu Sese Seko and Nebuchadnezzar,” Sani quipped.
Governor El-Rufai is an affliction on Kaduna State. He is a curse to us. We want to call on Buhari to caution his son. If this crisis is not nipped in the bud, it will grow into something bigger. We in Kaduna state cannot accommodate somebody who has the tendencies of Adolf Hitler, Mobutu Sese Seko and Nebuchadnezzar
A chieftain of the party loyal to the Suleiman Hunkuyi-led faction, Mikaiah Tokwak, also said that the action had lent credence to the faction’s earlier complaint that citizens’ right to freely associate in Kaduna, under el-Rufai, was in jeopardy.
In his reaction, a visibly shaken Hunkuyi said, “In the early hours of the day when the demolition took place, Governor el-Rufai personally drove a bulldozer, accompanied by armoured tanks, to destroy my house at 11B Sambo Road. This is a new low, and fighting dirty with such low level of pettiness is, indeed, unprecedented in Kaduna State.
“It is on record that few months back, Governor el-Rufai marked another property of mine in Hunkuyi town for demolition, but residents of the area prevented the officials from demolishing it. Today, he came well prepared with military men to destroy my house at Sambo Road.
“This is also the same way el-Rufai destroyed the house of the APC Deputy National Chairman, Northwest, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, months back; which tells you that the governor is reckless, petty and can’t stand political pressure without resorting to being a ruthless dictator.”
But Hunkuyi said he had pardoned El-Rufai. “As my own brother, I wish to let you know, I have no case. I have forgiven him as a person, for doing what he did. I have no issues with him for doing what he did. He is my brother. For bringing down one of my houses, even if it is not my last house. I see no reason I should lose any sleep.
“In my own opinion, let it be an incident to grow democracy in my state. Let this be a rallying point for those who have been shortchanged in any way in my state, as regards the leadership of El-Rufai. It is not too much a price to pay for democracy to thrive in my state.”
El-Rufai is also believed to have ordered bulldozers to demolish a building at the Mogadishu area belonging to the former Peoples Democratic Party caretaker committee chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
Makarfi, a former governor of the state, was discreet on the issue, saying, “I have nothing to say for now over the unfortunate development. I would have spoken on the issue if I had wanted. Let him (el-Rufai) do whatever he likes.”
Other party faithful in the camp of Sani also condemned the governor, saying El-Rufai “is inhumane, wicked and destructive.”
Explaining the reasons behind the demolition, el-Rufai, through the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency, said the building was removed for “flagrant violations of land use and non-payment of ground rent since 2010.”
KAPSUDA’s Director-General, Ibrahim Husseini, said the move was facilitated with assistance from sister agencies aimed at restoring “order” across the state.
He said, “This morning, a building on 11B Sambo Close was removed for flagrant violations of land use and non-payment of ground rent since 2010.
“The Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency is currently undertaking operations across Kaduna metropolis in compliance with its mandate.”
He further said that any person or group, who felt aggrieved, should go to court.
Meanwhile, in some quarters, a pun has been carved out of el-Rufai’s controversial mowing down of Hunkuyi’s building thus: demolition is now the cure for using a building for political activities ,instead of residential occupation, for which its owner was granted approval.”
