Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has revealed that past administrations of the state had paid monthly ‘peace monies’ to elite of Southern Kaduna which his administration stopped, adding that it is why the elite of the area churn up narratives that he was taking sides in the crisis.
El-Rufai said unlike past governments of the state, he would not appease the said elite, adding that he is using security agencies to accumulate enough evidences against the unnamed elite for prosecution.
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Speaking on a live interview on Channels Television on Sunday, the governor stated this while reacting to questions on allegations that he was taking sides in the crisis.
He said; “the problem of the southern Kaduna elite is that they have their own narrative and whether it is true or false, they stick to it, and anyone that has said something to the contrary has taken sides even among them.
“This is one of the problems that frustrated my former deputy governor Arch. Barnabas Yusuf Bala to throw in the towel, to say I don’t want to be deputy governor, I will rather go and run for the senate.”
El-Rufai however stressed that; “I will not appease to criminals, I will not appease idle people who have nothing to do but to raise a spectre of genocide so that they can get donations and money in their bank accounts from abroad instead of standing up and having a profession and business to earn a living,”
He said because the elites have been living off government, they will consider anyone who is moderate or who promotes peaceful co-existence between various ethnic groups as a sell out, adding that, “they cause trouble, they organise killings and then their leaders are invited by the governor, they are given brown envelops.”
“That is what they have been doing for 20 years and we came into office and said no more. Nobody that does not encourage peaceful co-existence will have access to the governor or government house. I have no time for them.
“Governments before us were paying them monies every month as peace money and we stopped it. This is why they will say I am taking side.
“Whatever they say, I take it, I am the governor of Kaduna state, if I’m not abused, who will they abuse?” El-Rufai said.
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