Nigeria has been taken over by urban bandits and in deep crisis now —el_Rufai reveals

Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, has raised serious concerns over the current state of leadership in Nigeria, claiming that the country is now under the control of what he termed “urban bandits.”

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday during the 60th birthday lecture of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, El-Rufai didn’t mince words in criticizing the nation’s political direction.

The lecture was themed “Weaponization of Poverty in Nigeria.”

During his address, El-Rufai warned that Nigeria was facing one of its most difficult times since the colonial amalgamation in 1914.

“Nigeria is in its biggest trouble since 1914 and that is why we are together working and conspiring to build a coalition to take Nigeria back on track because it is off track,” he stated.

He continued by describing how the deterioration has come not just from criminal activity in remote areas, but from individuals within the cities who hold power.

“It has turned to this level because we have allowed bandits, not the ones in the bushes but the ones in the urban areas called the urban bandits to take over leadership,” El-Rufai added.

The former governor also lamented what he described as a trend of electing unqualified individuals into leadership roles.

“I believe that the problem that we have, which I think (former) Governor Babangida referred to, is that we just get incompetent people and we hand over leadership to them.”

“Most of them don’t really know what to do. They just know how to grab power but don’t know what to do with it,” he said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to be more vigilant and intentional about their choices at the ballot box.

“Nigerians must stand up and vote leaders that have the competence, capability, capacity and commitment to move the country forward,” El-Rufai emphasized.