Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, has called for an end to what he called the politicization of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy after a book on his life and tenure was recently released.
The book, Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, has rekindled tensions among his former inner circle and spurred new discussion about the late president’s record.
El-Rufai expressed concern in a statement issued on Wednesday that the book launch event mirrored the same divisions that existed during Buhari’s lifetime. He observed that while other allies who were just as close to the late president were noticeably absent from the book event, one camp was heavily represented.
He warned that some of the attendees at the book launch were longtime opponents of Buhari who now occupy powerful positions in the government and gave flattering but phony praises.
El-Rufai argued that many who previously held his administration accountable for almost all of Nigeria’s problems now seem willing to rewrite history, possibly in order to avoid taking accountability for the country’s current shortcomings.
He continued by saying that certain people who were honoring Buhari’s passing did not have his regard or trust during his lifetime.
The statement said, “A careful look at those who dominated the book launch revealed the same factional lines that existed during Buhari’s lifetime.” It also said that the venue selection and selective participation raised concerns about whether the former president’s legacy is being shaped to serve special interests rather than historical truth.
The former governor expressed worry that many of the admissions ascribed to the late president appear one-sided and unfair, especially because Buhari is no longer living to answer. He acknowledged that he has not yet read the book and that some media accounts may lack context.
He cautioned against “distorting, rather than preserving, a complex leader’s legacy by using selective anecdotes to explain his thoughts and motivations.”
El-Rufai went on to say that although Buhari was not flawless, a significant portion of his administration’s flaws were caused by the deeds and shortcomings of a strong inner circle, which included officials, advisors, and relatives who did not always share the president’s dedication to honesty and public service.
According to the statement, “Buhari himself remained, to the end, a man of deep faith, personal discipline, and unquestioned patriotism,” and “those now invoking his name for self-justification should reflect on whether they can claim the same standards.”
El-Rufai, a former minister, advised Nigerians to let history judge Buhari impartially, free from opportunism or revisionism, and warned against selectively narrating his life and times.
He concluded with a prayer: “May Allah grant him eternal rest.” He said, “The truest way to honor him is not through selective storytelling or trying to exhibit new-found love, but by upholding the values he embodied: simplicity, integrity, humility, and service to Nigeria with all he had.”
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