El-Rufai Didn’t Struggle for Democracy – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has insisted that ex-Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was not part of Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle.

Speaking on Politics Tonight on TVC, Sani drew a contrast between his political journey and that of El-Rufai, stressing that their paths into public service were fundamentally different.

“For people like Nasir, when they found themselves in a position or office, they don’t know what democracy is all about because they didn’t fight for it,” Sani said.

The former lawmaker recounted his own history of activism, recalling arrests, imprisonment, and persecution under military rule.

“I’ve been through many prisons, many police stations. I wore prison uniforms, leg chains and handcuffs as a political prisoner fighting for this democracy that is 25 years old,” he said.

Sani argued that while his political relevance was shaped by sacrifice and grassroots activism, El-Rufai’s rise came after 1999, through party politics and appointments in government.