El-Rufai Puts Ribadu on Trial

By Frank Tietie

A man who is neither drunk nor high on drugs, but in his clear and sane mind, goes on a prime-time show on a continental television network like the Arise News Channel and proclaims that he got information from someone who tapped the phone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. How should the Nigerian government react?

It becomes a Catch-22 for the Nigerian government whether to respond to El-Rufai’s latest tirade. But to react hastily would fail to see the damning point Nasir El-Rufai is trying to make, which is to show the ineptitude of Nuhu Ribadu as NSA. The government should have seen through the former Kaduna State governor’s bravado.

Of course, El-Rufai knows the possibility that Ribadu would fall for the trick and might actually order his detention, either for statements made on live international television or for the bared waiting fangs of the EFCC. Sonit appears he had prepared for the worst, but probably not for death in the hands of his sworn enemies through poisoning. Hence, he immediately alerted the world to the Gestapo treatment that is usually given to some government enemies when they are in detention. So he quickly accuses the same Nuhu Ribadu of importing thallium sulphate, a lethal poison suitable for eliminating political enemies quietly. This he has done, in case he, himself or any other opposition politicians die in detention as 2027 approaches. What a way to shift the burden?

The choice of the government to charge El-Rufai for cybercrimes over the claims he made on live on Arise News Prime Time show about tapping the NSA’s phone is a tacit yet loud acknowledgement that any NSA whose phone can be tapped so easily is not only incompetent, but highly undisciplined and lackadaisical on national security matters. Tell me, which serious country, like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, or Saudi Arabia, would take the National Security Adviser of Nigeria seriously if they knew that an ordinary citizen could easily tap his phone?

What Malam Nasir El-Rufai has done is not to present technical evidence of interception. Rather, he has thrown a political gauntlet designed to provoke a reaction. The trap is simple: once the state moves against him, the conversation shifts from the accuracy of his claim to the conduct and capability of those charged with safeguarding national security.

A hurried resort to criminal prosecution risks missing the wider implication that public officers, particularly those occupying sensitive security positions, are expected to inspire confidence, not anxiety.

Therefore, if the state frames a prosecution around a claim that the NSA’s line could be tapped, the unintended consequence is that the allegation receives international circulation, renewed media life and diplomatic attention. In effect, the courtroom becomes a megaphone for the NSA’s failures.

Consequently, if the charge against El-Rufai is driven by reputational discomfort or the political embarrassment that he has caused Ribadu or the Tinubu government. It risks being counterproductive, especially in a democratic setting that has a high tolerance for speech directed at public officials.

Statements that are provocative, speculative or even reckless are often part of political contestation, especially as 2027 approaches. They should not be the basis for criminal charges. Such statements are best answered by clarification, transparency, and institutional reassurance, rather than the coercive weight of arrest, arraignment, and trial.

To prosecute El-Rufai in circumstances such as this may therefore produce the exact opposite of deterrence. It can elevate and transform him into a cause, especially among Northern Nigeria elements, and suggest that the government is more eager to punish criticism than to disprove it.

The other dimension is the possibility that such a trial would invite scrutiny, arguments, cross-examinations, and global reporting, further exposing Ribadu or the government. Meanwhile, silence would have buried it faster.

Instead of dismissing El-Rufai as someone probably chasing political clout, the choice to charge him would validate his point and expose Nuhu Ribadu as unfit to be NSA.

El-Rufai is no ordinary politician. He combines the arts of casuistry, statecraft, populism and activism for political relevance, and he is yet on another journey to reinvent himself politically to the detriment of his foes like Ribadu. But he also wants to come out alive. And even if he dies in the process, he seems not to care much, as long as such would deal the maximum blow to the political careers of his traducers.

If anyone thinks El-Rufai is being diminished by his latest travails, they should think again. In fact, it is he who is putting some persons on trial in the court of reason.

Frank Tietie
Lawyer and Public Affairs Commentator,
Writes from Abuja

El-Rufai Puts Ribadu on Trial

VP Shettima Attends AU Heads of State Plenary Session

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima is attending the plenary of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The opening session has drawn leaders from across the continent and beyond, as delegates convene to address critical issues under this year’s theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

The Vice President is representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the high-level gathering.

VP Shettima Attends AU Heads of State Plenary Session

Experts Warn Senate Amendment to Electoral Act May Weaken Electronic Transmission Safeguards

By: Michael Mike

A coalition of electoral reform advocates, legal experts and technology specialists has warned that the proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) of Nigeria’s Electoral Act could undermine recent gains in electoral transparency if not carefully revised.

They gave support to the position of the House of Representatives over that of the Senate, stating that the lower legislative arm position on the amendment of the electoral act was a lesser devil than that of the upper chamber.

The position emerged from an Expert Round Table convened in Abuja on Friday by ActionAid Nigeria, YIAGA Africa and the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria. The meeting brought together academics, civil society leaders, lawyers, engineers, election administrators and governance specialists to examine the implications of the National Assembly’s amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

At the centre of deliberations was the provision dealing with electronic transmission of election results. While the current law provides for electronic transmission, the Senate’s amendment affirms that manually signed polling unit results remain legally valid if electronic transmission fails. Participants argued that this caveat could reopen long-standing vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Experts at the forum stressed that credible elections are the bedrock of democratic legitimacy and political stability. They noted that Nigeria’s democratic history has repeatedly been strained by allegations of manipulation, flawed collation processes and protracted post-election litigation. According to participants, strengthening transparency in result transmission is critical to rebuilding public confidence.

A major focus of the discussion was the role of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in safeguarding results at polling units. Participants described electronic transmission not merely as a technological innovation but as a protective mechanism against manipulation during collation — historically considered the weakest link in Nigeria’s elections.

Technical experts at the meeting maintained that electronic transmission is largely feasible nationwide, citing data that shows approximately 98 per cent network coverage across polling units, with only about two per cent classified as connectivity blind spots. They recommended targeted infrastructure investment to address these gaps rather than reverting to manual safeguards that could compromise transparency.

Concerns were also raised about legal ambiguities in the proposed amendment. Participants observed that the Senate version does not explicitly mandate electronic transmission through BVAS, nor does it clearly outline procedures in the event of technical failure. This, they argued, could create loopholes and fuel conflicting interpretations between manual and electronically transmitted results.

Another issue highlighted was the legal status of regulations issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Many operational guidelines governing electronic transmission are contained in subsidiary regulations rather than entrenched in the Act itself, potentially weakening their enforceability in court.

The experts warned that ambiguity in the law could increase election petitions and deepen what they described as the “judicialization of politics,” where electoral outcomes are increasingly determined in courtrooms rather than at the ballot box.

Beyond the amendment, participants identified broader institutional challenges affecting electoral integrity, including perceived executive influence in appointments to INEC, vote buying, weak enforcement of electoral offences and political interference. They called for comprehensive reforms to strengthen the independence and technical capacity of the electoral body.

In their resolutions, the roundtable participants reached consensus that electronic transmission should be clearly established in law as the primary and legally binding method for transmitting election results. They expressed preference for the version passed by the House of Representatives, which does not prioritise manually signed results in cases of transmission failure, while recommending further refinements to ensure clarity.

They also urged lawmakers to incorporate key INEC regulations directly into the Electoral Act, reform judicial procedures governing election disputes for faster resolution, and invest in election technology infrastructure.

Looking ahead, the experts advocated a long-term reform agenda that could eventually include electronic voting, drawing from international best practices. They further called on the National Assembly to conduct a public hearing on the technical glitches recorded during the 2023 general elections to prevent recurrence and enhance accountability.

The meeting concluded that Nigeria’s democratic future depends on ensuring that electoral reforms strengthen — rather than dilute — safeguards designed to reflect the true will of voters. Participants pledged continued legislative engagement and public advocacy to protect the integrity of the country’s electoral framework.

Experts Warn Senate Amendment to Electoral Act May Weaken Electronic Transmission Safeguards