Former minister of the Federal Capital
Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, who recently just
declared his intention of running for the
Governorship position in Kaduna, come 2015
has fired back at Pastor Oritsejafor for daring
to say himself and APC spokesman, Lai
Mohammed were only trying to tarnish his
image when they called him out concerning a
private jet which was recently impounded in
South Africa over suspicion of arms smuggling.
El-Rufai described the CAN president as an
“irresponsible” leader and asked him to come
out and tell Nigerians may be the same
impounded jet was the one ‘donated’ to him in
2012. He also said he should clarify if the jet
was actually registered as a commercial
aircraft or the aircraft serves as both private
and commercial one. Lol, I just think El-Rufai
is always the wrong person to fight with. Read
the full statement here; His words were heavy
though.
A former Minister of the Federal Capital
Territory, and senior member of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, Nasir El-Rufai, on
Wednesday described the President of the
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo
Oritsejafor, as an “irresponsible” leader who
has abused his revered office by venturing into
politics.
Mr. El-Rufai was reacting to a statement by
CAN Tuesday berating the former minister and
the spokesperson of the APC, Lai Mohammed,
over their responses to reports that a private
jet recently impounded in South Africa over
suspicion of arms smuggling, belongs to the
CAN president. In the statement, CAN accused
the two APC stalwarts of tarnishing the image
of Mr. Ortisejafor. CAN also said Mr. El-Rufai
had once said there are three sets of Boko
Haram in Nigeria: “Islamic Boko Haram,
Politicians’ Boko Haram and Christians’ Boko
Haram which he said are being funded by
President Goodluck Jonathan and coordinated
by CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. He
went further to claim that the CAN President
has been given N50 billion by the President
and a Jet”.
In his response Wednesday, Mr. El Rufai said
the CAN president is becoming “jittery”
because his private jet was identified as the
vessel impounded by the South African
authorities for ferrying $9.3m cash into their
country. Mr. El-Rufai also said after being
unable to shake off his connection to the
plane, Mr. Oritsejafor has resorted to abuse
and vilification. “Were he more reflective, he
would be pondering how, of all the private jets
available in Nigeria, it was his that came to be
involved in a covert arms purchase scandal.
“Would he have managed any objectivity if the
plane involved happened to belong to a
prominent person of another faith or political
persuasion,” a statement signed by Mr. El
Rufai’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, said.
Mr. El-Rufai also said the CAN President
should explain if the jet involved in the scandal
is the same one that was “donated” to him in
2012.
“Did he register it as a commercial aircraft or
is the plane illegally moonlighting as one? Has
he ever reflected on the impropriety of mixing
his religious role with politics? “Having strayed
into politics, and an irresponsible variant at
that, can he expect the veneration enjoyed by
his predecessors such as Cardinals Olubunmi
Okogie and John Onaiyekan? “Why is he the
first CAN leader to provoke pitiful mirth and
amusement when he is not being derided as a
tragedy, a sort of Ichabod, desperate to
separate glory from a revered body?” Mr. El-
Rufai said.
He also advised Mr. Oritsejafor to “look beyond
the bling to ask himself if it was any of the
individuals he abused yesterday that asked him
to make his aircraft available for monkey
business, or get himself involved in the politics
of division”.
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