BREAKING: El-Rufai Slams US Sanctions Bill, Says Kwankwaso Followed Other Northern Governors

A former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed claims portraying erstwhile Kano Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as a religious extremist.

He was reacting to reports of a proposed United States congressional bill that names Kwankwaso among individuals potentially subject to visa bans and asset freezes for “severe religious freedom violations.”

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, El-Rufai argued that it was misleading to single out Kwankwaso, noting that several northern states had adopted similar legal frameworks for the implementation of Sharia law in parts of the North.

He said, “Look, 12 northern states implemented Sharia, okay? The first state to do so was Zamfara. I thought Zamfara should be listed there, if at all anyone is to be blamed for this Sharia fiasco.”

According to him, the adoption of Sharia law began in Zamfara State before spreading to other states, including Kano State.

“Kwankwaso followed suit like many other northern governors. Kano did not do anything different in the way it implemented Sharia. Kano was not very strict.

“He is not one of those you would call a fundamentalist in this Sharia matter,” he said.

El-Rufai also questioned why other former governors who enforced Sharia were not being mentioned in the ongoing debate.

“Nobody is mentioning people like Abdulaziz Yari and other governors that protected and promoted Sharia, people that cut off hands but it is Kwankwaso that is being targeted here. It makes me want to ask questions; where is this coming from?” he stated. See more

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