5 punches Kaduna Governor threw at Atiku

Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar went to war on international radio and well, the gloves came off faster than wed have thought.

For a bit of context, El-Rufai and Atiku have little love for the other. Their frosty relationship pans the Obasanjo, Yar’adua, Jonathan and Buhari eras.

When Atiku announced his resignation from the APC, El-Rufai went on the offensive again.

And during a Voice of America (VOA) program called ‘Democracy Today’ on December 21, 2017, El-Rufai went for Atiku’s jugular like he loves to do.

Here are five El-Rufai punches that may have landed….

1. El-Rufai says Atiku didn’t contribute a dime to Buhari’s 2015 campaign

Atiku tells anyone who cares to listen that he contributed to the presidential campaign of the APC back in 2015.

El-Rufai says that’s a big, fat lie.

His words: “Agreed, in politics if you lose even only one person, it should worry you, but the utterances of the former vice-president that APC used his money, who did he give the money to?

“For me, I know those that supported us with their money and property that we used during election, and I never heard the name of Atiku that he brought a dime.

“If Atiku said he brought money, who did he give it to? Let him come and say it and how much did he give and what was it used for?”

2. El-Rufai challenges Atiku to name who he gave money to

If Atiku contributed to Buhari’s presidential campaign like he often claims, El-Rufai wants names of those who received his money.

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“And, in fact, if Atiku brought money, I ought to know, because I was part of the leadership of the party and during campaign, along with former Governor .

“We were at the centre of the presidential campaign. Therefore, we are supposed to know. So, let him mention who he gave the money and how much?”

Tough ask?

3. APC chieftains knew Atiku was going to leave their party before he did

This is the second time El-Rufai would be making this point.

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According to the Kaduna Governor, everyone who mattered in the APC knew that Atiku was going to make the jump before he did.

“We in the APC were aware from the outset that Atiku was going to leave the APC back to the PDP in December and we thank God that he left in November,” he said.

4. Atiku left the APC because he was never going to get the party’s presidential ticket

Maybe this has no shock value left in it, but what do we know?

Here’s El-Rufai as Captain obvious:

“Even if President Buhari decides not to contest, Atiku knows that the APC ticket is not sure for him.

“That is why he left APC since he was only looking for where

5. El-Rufai says Buhari will beat Atiku in a head-to-head

El-Rufai has been bullish on Buhari's re-election chances. There was more of that chest thumping on display again.

"So, by 2019, we are waiting to see Atiku contest; we are waiting to contest against him and see what happens. I cannot lose sleep because Atiku wants to contest because, by God’s grace, this is the reign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Atiku had seen that we in the APC, especially the APC Governors, had resolved to support President Muhammadu Buhari to run again in 2019”.

If you wanted further proof that Buhari will seek re-election in 2019, there’s your answer.