Kaduna-based activist Dr. Mahdi Shehu has explained why he chose not to publicly react to the arrest, detention, and court arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement, Shehu said his silence was deliberate and rooted in his personal experiences with the former governor. According to him, El-Rufai failed to show him any support during his own legal challenges under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shehu claimed that while he was arrested, detained, and taken to court, El-Rufai, who was then an influential political figure and governor, neither visited him nor reached out to his family or expressed concern over his ordeal.
Recalling events leading up to the 2015 governorship election in Kaduna State, Shehu alleged that the current governor, Uba Sani, approached him to seek financial support for El-Rufai’s campaign. He claimed he donated ₦10 million toward the campaign and that El-Rufai later visited him to express appreciation for the contribution.
The activist also alleged that despite his support, he received little consideration from the El-Rufai administration.
According to him, he participated in the bidding process for the rehabilitation of 250 primary healthcare centres in Kaduna State in 2016. He claimed his company met the required technical and financial qualifications but was awarded only one contract located in Birnin Gwari.
Shehu said he later met El-Rufai to complain about the outcome, but the matter was never addressed.
He further alleged that he invested more than ₦300 million in developing land allocated to him for a girls’ boarding school in Millennium City but later encountered difficulties after the surrounding area was rezoned for residential estate development.
According to Shehu, he requested a change of land use from the state government but was unsuccessful.
He also alleged that he later paid money through a company account linked to a request to facilitate the approval but claimed the approval was never granted and the money was not refunded.
Reflecting on El-Rufai’s current legal troubles, Shehu described the situation as the consequences of past actions, arguing that many individuals who believed they were unfairly treated during the former governor’s administration had sought justice through prayers.
He maintained that his decision to remain silent was based on his personal experiences and not out of indifference to the legal proceedings involving the former governor.
