Civil rights campaigner and music executive Audu Maikori has strongly criticised former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of hypocrisy, abuse of power, and presiding over what he described as one of the most oppressive administrations in the state’s history.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Maikori dismissed El-Rufai’s recent claims regarding his 2017 arrest over a controversial tweet about killings in Kaduna, insisting the former governor had misrepresented the facts.
Maikori said he quickly retracted the post once he discovered the information was false, reported himself to the police in Lagos, and issued a public apology. According to him, his driver later admitted fabricating the story.
He contrasted his response with El-Rufai’s handling of reported killings in Kajuru in 2019, alleging the former governor publicised unverified casualty figures without retracting them despite warnings from security officials.
Maikori also claimed his arrest at the time amounted to persecution rather than lawful prosecution, noting that courts later ruled it illegal and awarded damages against the Kaduna State government.
The activist argued that it was ironic for El-Rufai to now complain about unfair treatment, saying he had previously used state power to detain critics, intimidate opponents, and suppress dissent.
Maikori further compared El-Rufai’s tenure with that of current governor Uba Sani, whom he said has brought a different leadership approach.
On politics, Maikori confirmed he is now a member of the All Progressives Congress, though he previously supported the People’s Democratic Party and former president Goodluck Jonathan.
He added that the legal dispute over his arrest remains before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, expressing confidence that any eventual damages would be used to support journalists and citizens facing rights violations.
