Shehu Sani knows Nasir El-Rufai not a lily livered coward – Samuel Omogor replies ex-Kaduna senator 

*Describing claim of silence during Buhari as hypocrisy 

By NASRUDEEN ABBAS

At the time, Shehu Sani criticised El-Rufai for the memo, reportedly recommending disciplinary action and describing the move as disloyal to the president.

A renewed war of words has erupted between former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, and former senator, Shehu Sani, following recent comments about past and present political allegiances.

The debate, opened by a development observer Samuel Omogor, traces back to 2017, when a 30-page memo written by El-Rufai in 2016 to then-President Muhammadu Buhari was leaked to the media. In the document, El-Rufai reportedly warned Buhari that his administration was losing the vision and momentum that powered the 2015 “change” campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The memo addressed issues including Nigeria’s struggling economy, internal party cohesion, and the relationship between the presidency and key party leaders such as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was then the APC’s national leader.

At the time, Shehu Sani criticised El-Rufai for the memo, reportedly recommending disciplinary action and describing the move as disloyal to the president.

However, in a December 29, 2024 social media post, Sani accused certain political figures of remaining silent during Buhari’s tenure but becoming vocal under the current administration. He referenced alleged nepotism and marginalisation in Kaduna State during Buhari’s eight years in office.

Sani has since maintained that El-Rufai lacks the moral standing to criticise President Tinubu, arguing that he did not publicly challenge Buhari’s leadership in the same manner.

Supporters of El-Rufai, however, point to the leaked memo as evidence that he did and that he, in fact, raised concerns during Buhari’s administration. They also reference legal actions taken by some governors, including challenges related to the naira redesign policy, as further proof of internal dissent at the time.

The exchange highlights ongoing political tensions within the APC and among prominent northern political figures as debates continue over leadership, loyalty, and accountability within Nigeria’s ruling party.

In a post titled “EL-RUFAI; THE SHEHU SANI HYPOCRISY” and posted via his X social media handle on Sunday March 1, 2026, Samuel Omogor said, “In March 2017, a memo written by then Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir @elrufai in 2016 to late President Muhammadu Buhari was leaked to the media.

“In the 30 page memo, El-Rufai told Buhari that he was losing the vision and the momentum with which the @OfficialAPCNg started the change campaign. He told Buhari how the country was faring under his watch, and how his policies, actions, and in-actions have contributed to the nations woes and what could be done to salvage the situation.

“The memo touched several areas, ranging from the ailing economy, to the political dynamics, lack of coercion within the APC, and the poor relationship between the president and the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and other party leaders including the governors.

“Then the Transitor radio Senator, @ShehuSani recommended that the party leadership punish El-Rufai for criticising the President, describing El-Rufai as disloyal and disrespectful to the President.”

Omogor expressed dismay that the same Shehu Sani is now accusing El-Rufai of keeping quiet during Buhari as, according to him, Sani on 29th December 2024 had posted that, “There were people who were silent when Buhari was fielding political offices with his Kinsmen, and have now found their voice to speak out when the equation doesn’t favour them.Lets not make reference to the nepotism that marginalised Southern Kaduna for eight years.Kaduna was an apartheid state for eight years”.

Samuel Omogor said, “Sani has been attacking El-Rufai on this ever since. According to him, El-Rufai lack the moral grounds to criticise Tinubu, since he couldn’t criticise Buhari. And Tinubu’s and APC supporters have echoed this since.

“The truth is, El-Rufai is that man Shehu Sani would have loved to be but cannot. How did Shehu Sani forget that incident? He also forgot El-Rufai, Mattawalle, and Yahaya Bello dragged the Buhari’s administration to court over the Naira Redesign. Shehu Sani knows if El-Rufai was minister, he would have criticised the Tinubu’s regime. He knows El-Rufai is never a coward. He knows El-Rufai wouldn’t have won that cap of misfortune, and sing ‘On Your Mandate We Shall Fall’. He also knows that were El-Rufai to be governor during Tinubu as opposition, nobody could have been able to bully him to join Tinubu’s party.

“Senator Shehu Sani knows Nasir El-Rufai is not a lily livered coward.”