The senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani has reacted to an alleged hate speech and threat to life made by Governor Nasir el-Rufai against him at a town hall meeting in Giwa local government at the weekend.
A statement by his special adviser on politics and ideology, Suleiman Ahmed, noted that the governor reliably and evidently referred to Senator Sani, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed and Isa Ashiru Kudan as “Ants he will match and crush.”
“We could have easily dismissed or ignored this statement as Tantrums of an accidental Governor high on weekend Marijuana, but we decided not to take things for granted in view of the petit Governor’s mean and vicious history and his allergy to criticism. Also fresh in our mind is the mass killings and burial of members of the Islamic movement in Zaria last December.
“We view his unguarded and provocative utterances as nothing but a hate speech and a direct threat to the Life of Senator Sani and others whom the Governor perceived as his ‘enemies’. We hold Governor Nasiru El-Rufai personally responsible for any harm done on Senator Sani,” it said
The statement alerted security agencies and the general public that in the event of any injury or assassination of Senator Shehu Sani, no one should be held responsible but Governor el-Rufai.
It further noted that “In Kaduna, a journalist, Dickson Jacob was jailed and a University Lecturer Dr. John Danfulani was jailed and suspended for criticising the governor; killing Senator Shehu Sani will not give him the ‘quiet’ he so much desires to continue with his anti-people’s programmes and policies in Kaduna State.
“It will interest the general public to know that after the dubious condolence visit by the Governor over the death of the Senator’s mother, Governor El-Rufai continued to use state funds to sponsor attacks against the Senator on Local Radio stations. He has even recently granted a personal interview on TVC television channel where he rained invectives against the distinguished senator.
“El-Rufai is a desperate and drunken power maniac. He is a Lilliputian despot whose hearts and liver cannot take or stand criticism. He is a man angry with his height and frame. He is a man desperate to outshine PMB and all out to crush human beings he calls Ants on his way. El-Rufai claimed he wants to make Kaduna great again but he actually wants to make it grave again, proven by his lethal threats against his perceived opponents.
“We wish to advice El-Rufai that he doesn’t need to “crush Ants” or spill the blood of Senator Shehu Sani and others to realize his political ambitions. El-Rufai is not appeased with his “suspension” of Sen Sani from his pocketed state APC, he has now resorted to threats of “Crushing and matching”. El-Rufai is an affliction to the people of Kaduna; he is at war with Clerics, Teachers, Workers, Traditional rulers, Physically challenged, Journalists, Doctors, politicians and the poor.
“The accidental Governor used the ladder of criticism to mount to power and now he is afraid of his shadow. We advise El-Rufai to use the waters of River Kaduna to build Kaduna of his dream and if he must use blood he should use the blood of the abundant crocodiles in Kaduna River and not that of distinguished senator Shehu Sani.
“Nigerians should ask El-Rufai why does he wish death for those who he perceived as his enemies; First he told his critics to climb Kufena Rock and die and now he calls them “Ants he wants to crush”. El-Rufai abused IBB, PMB, Atiku, Obj, Yar’adua, GEJ and they never called him an Ant that they must crush, but he now wants to crush.
“We wish to let Governor El-Rufai know that threats of “crushing” or execution cannot deter us from our noble path in protecting our people from his brigandage.”