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In Defence Of El-Rufai By Hajara Yakubu Wanka
They say one man’s food is another’s poison. Though many say they hate El-Rufai’s approach in the execution of his assignments, those who truly appreciate hard work on the other hand, believe that El-Rufai in Nigerian chain of leadership is one in a million. We believe El-Rufais are genuine leaders with interest in positive results, leaders with good course who write their names on stone. Leaders who are making positive impact on the community in the various fields. Perhaps this particular El-Rufai and Justice Sambo’s case made me wonder if we really know the type of leaders we need for if they are not active we complain, if they act, we call it persecussion. For instance many are complaining that Dora Akinyuli is not really fighting drugs but that she loves publicity. We complain of corrupt leaders but now say Ribadu is on a foul mission. We all see Abuja becoming Lagos yet now we called El-Rufai an extremist, Salim has been transforming JAMB, they also call him an extremist most we judge leaders by their motives or action?
They may say I am talking this way because I applied for El-Rufai’s plot. I don’t really care for I am only out to defend El-Rufai especially against those who do not care to know the other side of the story. What baffles me is the way every other Nigerian media is waiting for El-Rufai to make little slip, they never even let me understand the true situation until I read Justice Sambo’s interview in the Champion of Friday the 25th. At least every one knows El-Rufai doesn’t compromise, then why must they portray Justice Case differently? And although I was brought up to respect everyone, I still naturally posses special feelings for old people. So if I wish for the aged justice such humiliation as the one I saw on the network, perhaps I wished the same on my own father. All the same wouldn’t be out of place to say I am dissatisfied if not disappointed by the Justice action simply be causing the problem on himself.
As it turned out again, I adore people who know their rights, particularly those fought for it. But come to think of it, whether Justice Sambo was a judicial officer, civil or public servant, he has no cause what so ever fighting, wasting time, energy, reputation and dignity over a house he admits he does not even have the money to pay for. I quote Justice
“I told the president I did not have the money to pay. I asked if I could give him the names of some companies for allocation of fuel so I can use the proceeds to pay for the house. The president did not say anything. I took his silence as consent, so I sent him names of companies, hoping they would be given the allocations. He didn’t do that, so what alternative I had, so I sold it.”
Ironically, the Justice case was contradicted by him for being so selfish and greedy. Let me rather say greed. I quote the justice again:
“I paid 10% according to the condition, you will pay two times and the 20% within a specified period. After paying 20% within a specified period, I was trying to get how to pay the 80% then a letter came telling me that the sale had been withdrawn for the reason that I am a judicial officer. I told them that if they look at certain laws, they will find out that the Chairman and members of the code of conduct tribunal are not judicial officers. But they continued with their effort to make me loose the house. Then I had no alternative but to sell and pay the balance of 80%. So I sold the house and paid the remaining 80%”.
If you are sincerely reading me, wont you rather agree with me that any reasonable mind at this stage would say if a nation I served for 51 years cannot give me one house as a gift, if my gratuity for 51 years cannot buy me one house, if they could end up saying I don’t even deserve to buy the house, why didn’t I quietly pack to my home town? God always has a way. Why must justice not only fight for a house to buy, but looking for assistance to buy and then sell it again. Justice said:
“They say according to guidelines I should not sell the house. I said if I buy a house, it becomes mine, even if there is a law that says that then it’s a useless law.”
“The reason why I sold I have been working for the government from 1951 to 2006. I only manage through assistance to pay the initial 20%. So I had to sell it because others sold theirs. They sold theirs and used the money to pay.”
Isn’t it pathetic to read Justice we ought to pay copy good from are copying others greediness? These are same people for Gods sake, same government you preached to, yet you are not prepared for their worst nor can take what comes. The question is, is it only those in government and the younger always made mistakes? I am not saying El-Rufai is perfect but has to say Justice is faultier. If this house is worth asking for reduction of price, if it’s worth the fight and could cause such humiliation, then it will be an honest statement to worth keeping but not selling. This reminds me of a hadith which Abbas ibn Malik reports when a Bedouin came asking the prophet (S.A.W) question… When the Bedouin asked “I wish to be a respectable person” the Prophet replied, “Then don’t ask for anything from anybody.”
Although I have never been any close to El-Rufai, I still know it’s only his kind of courage, guts, confidence, arrogance and I don’t care principles that will make a better Nigeria. I rest my case quoting El-Rufai
“To be quite honest. Bashir caused it on himself. If he had just kept quiet and paid the 65 million naira, the issue would not have arisen. But he kept on insisting he was a civil servant when that couldn’t work, he said he was a judicial officer and in the end he lost the house.”
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