A former deputy speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Alhaji Muktar Isa-Hazo, has explained that the associates of former governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, did not abandon him but only left him in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with those who hated him before, but now parading themselves as his allies.
Isa-Hazo, who represented Basawa state constituency and a staunch ally of El-Rufai, said he is still an associate of the ex-governor but differs politically ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday, Isa-Hazo, who reacted to the former governor’s claim that some of his associates and friends had abandoned him or remained silent amidst his trial, accused El-Rufai’s family members of misleading him while in detention.
He said, “I’m still El-Rufai’s associate, but we just differ on political alignment. Nobody abandoned former governor Nasir El-Rufai; when it mattered, the people he needed most were with him.
But now, maybe some people are claiming that they are with him. Whereas they are just taking advantage of his position in order to assert themselves in certain situations, where they think they can excel. They are just using his name. Our political alignments differ.”
Isa-Hazo added, “Some of us moved back to the APC because those who hated him most before are now trying to associate themselves with him. And certain individuals who surround him believe it is a good omen. Whereas the genuine people who really love him, care about him, and associate with him think it is not right.
“So, as the political alignment, you know, he was misled. You know he is in detention, so he doesn’t know what is going on. Really, the actual thing going out outside now, that is happening outside now. You understand what I mean? So, whatever he is being feigned outside now, he is working on. And those people who used to see him are his close family, you know. So, whatever they tell him, that is what he banks on,” the former lawmaker alleged.
Isa-Hazo alleged that El-Rufai had not once called real associates and given them direction before and while in detention, “And sincerely speaking, I’m telling you now, we who associate with him, he has never once called us and said, this is where my direction is. At this point, each and every person follows his own mind and thinks about what is right for him to do. That’s all”
“It is not that he is abandoned by those who are associated with him. No, the political alignment now shifts. Everybody is following his mind,” the former Deputy Speaker said.
Meanwhile, some of El-Rufai’s associates and allies, such as the former commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sani Jafaru, and his former chief of staff and commissioner for Finance, Sa’idu Bashir, did not answer or return calls placed to their telephones regarding the allegations.
