Femi Fani-Kayode, on Thursday, said the recent comment made by Nasir El-Rufai on the Muslim-Muslim ticket does not make the former governor of Kaduna a religious bigot or a terrorist.
Fani-Kayode threw his weight behind El-Rufai after the former governor was captured speaking on how the Muslim-Muslim ticket helped the APC retain power in Kaduna as well as influence President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
In the video, El-Rufai, who was addressing a congregation of Muslim clerics (In Hausa) in Kaduna, said, “We successfully did it in Kaduna (Muslim-Muslim ticket) and it has now been replicated all over the country.”
Reacting to the criticisms directed at El-Rufai, Fani-Kayode said critics are only jealous of the ex-governor.
The ex-minister of aviation said: “When Nasir El Rufai, Bello Matawalle, and Yahaya Bello took President Muhammadu Buhari to court and defeated him over the illegal and ill-fated cash grab/new notes policy they were considered to be heroes and the entire world commended them.
“Yet sadly today, simply because he made some comments about the Muslim/Muslim ticket before a gathering of Muslim clerics in Kaduna State he is being demonized and labeled as a religious bigot, a terrorist, a fascist, and an Islamist fanatic by mainly those who do not share his religious faith, who do not know him, who have never met him and who are in a different political party to him.
“I know a religious bigot when I see one and I assure you that Nasir El Rufai is not one of them. Neither is he a Muslim fundamentalist, a terrorist, a fascist, or a jihadist.
“If he were any of these things he would not be my friend and brother and I would be the first to openly oppose and condemn him.
“If he were any of these things he would attract my contempt rather than have my respect.
“We worked closely together when we were in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s cabinet many years ago and we worked closely together during the presidential campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I know him very well indeed.
“He is a down to earth, practical, pragmatic politician who speaks his mind boldly, who is deeply calculating and courageous, who knows and understands the game of thrones and the art of acquiring and wielding power very well, who has no fear of his adversaries and who is determined to do whatever it takes to win. These are all virtues and not vices.
“The reason many denigrate him is basically out of envy and because he has proved over and over again that he is far smarter than them.”
Fani-Kayode added that had it not been for El-Rufai, Matawalle, and the Northern Governors of the APC there would have been no power shift to the south.
He said: “Yet love him or hate him I will tell you this: had it not been for him, Matawalle, and the Northern Governors of the APC there would have been no power shift to the south, the Presidency would have remained in the North and Atiku, not Asiwaju, would be President today.
“Again had it not been for him and Matawalle, the cabal in the Villa that backed, empowered, protected, and encouraged Godwin Emefiele and his Agbor Mafia and that worked so hard to stop Asiwaju from winning the election would have prevailed.
“And of course, that is why all the forces of hell gathered together to ensure that Matawalle lost his seat as Governor of Zamfara. That is the price that he had to pay.
“Those that insist on launching a crusade, igniting a religious war, and assuming the worse about El Rufai today simply because of his comments about religion in the politics of Kaduna state would do well to consider all this as they continue in their asinine behavior and insidious tomfoolery.
“If there are people that ought to be regarded as the true heroes of the struggle to make Asiwaju President El Rufai and Matawalle must be amongst them.
“I may not agree with everything El Rufai says or does but what a great fighter he is.
“He has both my affection and respect. He always did and he always will.”