Discordant tunes over El-Rufai’s secret memo to President Buhari

At the peak of the political crisis in Anambra State in 2004 between the then governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ngige and his estranged godfather, Chief Chris Uba, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, disturbed by the multiple effects of the crisis, summoned courage and wrote a secret memo to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In the letter, Ogbeh saw the crisis as having the potential for a conflagration that could consume the country’s democracy. He said: “You (Mr. President) and you alone, have the means to bring all the criminals and treasonable felons and their activities in Anambra to account. Do not hesitate; we do not have too much time to waste.”

Despite the timeliness, urgency and importance of the memo, supposed to be a confidential one to the then President, it was leaked to the press. The leak and its concomitant controversy outshined its contents and purpose. While the crisis continued unattended, Obasanjo and his cohorts took on Ogbeh and suddenly removed him from office in a controversial circumstance for daring the powers-that-be. A development many saw as the height of hypocrisy and wild-goose chase by the presidency.

Recently, in a secret 30-page memo, the outspoken Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari almost in the same manner. According to the memo, El-Rufai told Buhari how bad the nation was faring under his watch, how the president’s policies, actions and in-actions have contributed to the nation’s woes, and what could be done to steer Nigeria back to greatness.

He said Buhari was yet to take control over the party structures and blamed the situation partly on the advisers. “This situation is compounded by the fact that some officials around you seem to believe and may have persuaded you that current APC (All Progressives Congress) State Governors must have no say and must also be totally excluded from political consultations, key appointments and decision-making at the federal level.

“These politically naive ‘advisers’ fail to realise that it is the current and former state governors that may, as members of NEC of the APC, serve as an alternative locus of power to check the excesses of the currently lopsided and perhaps ambivalent NWC. Alienating the governors so clearly and deliberately ensures that you have near-zero support of the party structure at both national and state levels.”

Since the memo became public knowledge, neither the presidency nor the Kaduna State government has spoken or accepted responsibility for the leakage. Not even the national leadership of the APC has commented on it. It has been studied silence from the key actors ever since. But whether such silence is golden or not is a matter of conjecture for only time will tell.

Will it be a re-enactment of Obasanjo/Ogbeh scenario in the Anambra crisis? If it becomes, who will be the major casualty, the party, El-Rufai or President Buhari? Won’t the clique in the presidency capitalise on this to take on El-Rufai and ensure he is denied second term in office? At what point did El-Rufai part ways with the cabal in the presidency, where he was once a favourite? What is the bone of contention? Could it be 2019 presidency, Buhari’s policies and style?

Was El-Rufai by this act altruistic, courageous or political, overambitious and selfish? Was it not the same El-Rufai, who recently accused Atiku Abubakar of plotting to succeed Buhari in 2019? Who leaked the memo and for what purpose?  Was it Buhari’s cabal that wants to set El-Rufai against Buhari ahead of 2019 or El-Rufai and his allies who want to rubbish Buhari’s government ahead 2019 elections?

Too many questions begging for answer, where there is none yet, even as the motives surrounding the memo and its leakage unfolds. But while many are of the opinion that El-Rufai stated the obvious in the memo, which were not different from the observations and complaints of many Nigerians, including President Buhari’s wife, Aisha, others believe that his action smacks of betrayal and sabotage. But some argue that El-Rufai being a blunt and outspoken person, would have prepared his mind for whatever consequences that may arise.

Expectedly, El-Rufai’s adversaries within and outside the state will cash in on the melee to have the upper hand. Already one of his critics and strong political nemesis, Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central district, has urged the ruling APC to punish El-Rufai for allegedly leaking the memo he wrote to Buhari. Sani said it was ironic that while El-Rufai could not stand constructive criticism, he had the audacity to criticise the President.

“Now that he has fired a cruise missile at the President through a deliberately leaked memo, he should also be treated the same way.” He described the governor as disloyal and disrespectful, saying: “the difference is that while mine is blunt, his is dubious.

“Secondly, for all the issues he raised against the President, his own is worst in his space of governance both in the existence of cabal or politics of exclusion, incompetence or public perception. The difference is that the President is tolerant of criticisms and alternative views.’’

Speaking to The Guardian on the issue, former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said that El-Rufai’s action amounts to an attempt to abandon Buhari at a crucial time he need support to tackle the numerous challenges bedeviling the country.

“This is typical of Nigeria’s style of political betrayal. If the content of the memo is true, there are certain truths that cannot be exposed just like that. As far as I am concerned, El-Rufai leaked the memo to the press. If he is denying, let him tell Nigerians who did and why,” he asserted.

Furthermore, Musa said: “I am not talking about the content for now. There are certain relationships one can suffer in silence. Why the memo when he was part and parcel of Buhari’s presidency? Why not discuss the issues with President Buhari, instead of penning it down on paper?

To national chairman of United Peoples Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, leakage of the letter is mischievous. “El-Rufai may not altogether be innocent of the leakage; the content is very germane and timely. It represents the general perception of the gross incompetence that has characterised Buhari’s presidency and government.

“If the memo was received by the presidency in September last year and by now nothing has changed in the way the presidency run the government, it means that the presidency is displaying nonchalance to an issue of national importance.  He is not the only person who loves President Buhari, but summoning courage to tell him the truth makes the difference,” he stated.

A former Senator and member of PDP, Mrs. Grace Bent said the letter came to her as a shock, considering the fact that El-Rufai is a member of Buhari’s kitchen cabinet. “This is a sign that there is serious crack in the APC-led government. As a Nigerian and member of the opposition, the development is good for the country. It is a wake up call for the President, his aides and APC leaders. This has affirmed the saying that APC government has failed Nigerians. The verdict is coming from an insider like El-Rufai. PDP has been vindicated by its saying that President Buhari’s government is a failure,’ Bent said.

On whether the cabal in the presidency will go after El-Rufai for daring President Buhari, Bent said such action has been the bane of President Buhari’s government. “Whoever speaks the truth to the presidency, the cabal will go after him. The cabal should look inward and make amends. They should remember that power is transient. They are not helping President Buhari, rather they are destroying his government. They should look at the content of the memo and reflect on it. They cannot throw away the baby and the bath water.”

Former national chairman of the PDP, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo said in an interview with The Guardian that El-Rufai was being smart by half with his action, contending that there is no way he can exonerate himself from the failure of the APC-led government.

Nwodo said: “El-Rufai is a very smart person. He is trying to exonerate himself from Buhari’s government mess. But it won’t be easy for him because Nigerians are wiser now. APC government has not delivered on its campaign promises instead Nigerians are being visited with too much hardship. This is not what the people voted for. Memo or no memo, Buhari government will not be in power beyond 2019. Nigerians are tired of trial and error government.”