The Digest:
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has alleged that the President Bola Tinubu administration may be behind efforts to push US sanctions against Rabiu Kwankwaso over his refusal to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on Arise Television, el-Rufai questioned the selective targeting of Kwankwaso in a proposed US congressional bill seeking visa bans and asset freezes over alleged religious freedom violations. He noted that 12 northern states implemented Sharia law, with Zamfara taking the lead, yet former governors who oversaw amputations, such as Ahmed Yerima and Abdulaziz Yari, are not mentioned and remain in APC. "They may be behind it because Kwankwaso has refused to move to the APC," el-Rufai said, referencing alleged $9 million lobby money.
Key Points:
- The allegations deepen opposition narratives of political persecution and selective international targeting.
- It fuels public perception that US sanctions are being weaponised for domestic political purposes.
- Kwankwaso gains sympathy as a targeted figure, while the government faces intensified scrutiny.
- This signals growing coordination among opposition figures to defend against perceived executive overreach.
- The timing, amid escalating political tensions, amplifies claims of anti-opposition tactics.
Sources: TheCable, Arise Television
