The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has declared that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, played a decisive role in securing Nigeria’s presidency for the South in 2023, insisting that he deserves fair and just treatment amid his current legal troubles.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the group’s Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, described El-Rufai as a central figure in the political mobilization that led to the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
MURIC claimed that its longstanding advocacy for a Yoruba Muslim president began as far back as 2021, driven by concerns over what it described as the marginalisation of Muslims in Yorubaland. According to the group, it collaborated with northern stakeholders, including El-Rufai, to build a broad coalition that ultimately supported Tinubu’s presidential bid.
The statement credited El-Rufai with championing the power shift to the South, mobilizing northern political support, and actively participating in key campaign engagements. It also highlighted his opposition to efforts that, according to MURIC, sought to retain power in the North, as well as his criticism of policies such as the naira redesign initiative associated with former Central Bank Governor Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele.
While acknowledging the independence of the judiciary, MURIC argued that the legal challenges facing El-Rufai are politically influenced and should be viewed within a broader national context. The group warned against what it described as selective justice, noting that other politicians facing court cases remain free.
“We cannot, in good conscience, remain silent while El-Rufai remains behind bars,” the statement read, adding that the former governor’s contributions to the 2023 electoral outcome should not be overlooked.
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MURIC further apologized to El-Rufai’s family and supporters, reaffirming its role in encouraging his involvement in the political process that led to Tinubu’s victory.
The group concluded by urging Nigeria’s political class to ensure fairness and equity in the handling of El-Rufai’s case, stressing that “he deserves better treatment” given his role in what it described as a historic political transition.
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