Governor Nasir El-Rufai (APC-Kaduna State) has come under heavy criticism following his description of Igbos in Kaduna as “imports” on Twitter.
El-Rufai made the shocking statement on Monday, August 15, 2022, on his official Twitter handle (@elrufai) in response to a call for a 2 million-man march in Kaduna for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election.
It all began when a Twitter user (@Zarmaomar) posted “Kaduna Two Million March for Peter Obi”, to which El-Rufai in a condescending manner retorted that they will be lucky to get 200 persons including the imports who don’t open shops on Mondays–a reference to Igbos following the Monday sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
See the tweets below
El-Rufai’s response
ALSO READ: 2023: ‘Tinubu will continue from where Buhari stops’
Following El-Rufai’s response, Nigerians on Twitter expressed shock and dismay that a sitting Governor could make such a statement, while some others weren’t suprised, as El-Rufai is no stranger to controversial statements.
El-Rufai famously accused ex-president Goodluck Jonathan and Pst Ayo Oritsejafor (ex-president of Christian Association Nigeria) in a tweet on August 9, 2014 of being sponsors of terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Here are some reactions gathered by The Quest Times:
@dammiedammie35 Wait wait, is this not a sitting governor ? Like his real account ? Lord have mercy
@KelvinIkenga This is a state governor in Nigeria being openly tribalistic, & lacking all sense of decorum & finesse. Peter Obi’s only crime is being Igbo. Next time when Igbos tell u they’re hated, believe them. How can this openly tribalistic fellow be fair to all citizens in his state?
ALSO READ: FIFA U- 20 Women’s World Cup: Onyenezide shines as Nigeria defeat South Korea 1-0
@GershomDavies Do you know the wildest thing about that El Rufai tweet? Nobody mentioned or tagged him or anything. He was up at 6:27am in the morning searching Peter Obi’s name. What a lad.
@EzeAyoka In order to make excuses for the 1 Million residents that will come out, he added “Imported”.. So that when the 1 Million Kaduna residents come out, he will accuse them of being imported.
@AbalekeOny A sane governor should be worried about the security of his state but here are you dragging Twitter with young Nigerians. I haven’t seen u challenge the terrorists killing the citizens of your state on daily basis or do they give u their blood to drink? Shame on u !!!
@KadunaResident Mr Governor is feeling the heat, and we have not even started. They are still dazed at what happened in Calabar, Nasarawa – where we were just testing the mic. There will be a massive turnout and you will be put to Shame. Kaduna state is OBIdient
@islimfit That tweet was so unnecessary from El Rufai. I know how this will play out already. Peter Obi supporters will choke him and his minions online and then they’ll go about labelling them cyber terrorists and IPOB when it’s clear he started it first with that bigotry tweet.