Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that Nigeria is currently facing its most severe crisis since its amalgamation in 1914. He made this statement on Saturday in Abuja during a public lecture held in honour of former Rivers State Governor and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who turned 60.
The event, themed “Weaponization of Poverty”, brought together prominent Nigerian figures and political stakeholders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Emir of Kano Lamido Sanusi, and others.
In his speech, El-Rufai warned that the country’s deepening poverty and leadership failure have pushed it to the brink of collapse. “Nigeria is in its greatest crisis since 1914,” he said. “We are working and conspiring to build a coalition to get Nigeria back on track because it has gone off track.”
He spoke warmly about his long-standing relationship with Amaechi, even joking about past political disagreements. “The last quarrel we had was when he lost the APC presidential primary and blamed me. I said, when Nigeria is in bigger trouble, we will reunite—and here we are,” El-Rufai said.
Addressing the theme of the lecture, El-Rufai disagreed with the idea that politicians intentionally weaponise poverty. “I don’t think poverty is being deliberately used by politicians. Poverty weaponises itself when allowed to exist,” he argued.
However, he was sharply critical of the kind of people Nigerians often elect into office. “We keep handing over leadership to people who don’t know what to do. They are not competent. They know how to grab power, but not how to use it.”
He said the key to turning Nigeria around lies in electing leaders who are competent and truly committed to national development. “Wherever you see progress in Nigeria, it’s because someone competent was given a chance to serve,” El-Rufai noted.
He praised Amaechi’s performance as Governor of Rivers State, highlighting his achievements in education and healthcare. “I visited Rivers several times while he was Governor. From schools to hospitals, it was clear he knew what to do and did it,” El-Rufai said.
In a scathing remark about Nigeria’s political elite, he said: “What we have done is to allow bandits—not those in the bushes, but the urban bandits—to take over the governance of our country.”
El-Rufai then urged Nigerians to think deeply ahead of the 2027 general elections. “The real challenge is to look beyond slogans and handouts. Let’s choose leaders with competence, capacity, and commitment. Nigeria’s future depends on it.”
He concluded by endorsing Amaechi as one of the few capable hands in the Nigerian political landscape. “I believe the celebrant, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, is one of the few who can be called capable, competent, and committed,” he said.
El-Rufai’s comments come at a time when Nigerians are battling with rising inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and widespread poverty. His remarks have added to growing public debate about the quality of leadership and governance in the country.
