The Twelve Sorrows of Nasir el-Rufai: Reno Omokri Chronicles a Political Fall

By Tgnews

Controversial social commentator and author Reno Omokri has penned a scathing critique titled “The Twelve Sorrows of Nasir el-Rufai,” detailing what he describes as the political and personal unraveling of the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai.

In this provocative piece, Omokri outlines a series of alleged disappointments and missteps that have left el-Rufai sidelined in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Omokri begins with el-Rufai’s dashed hopes during the 2023 presidential race.

According to Omokri, el-Rufai anticipated being selected as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate from the Northwest but was overlooked. In response, Omokri claims, el-Rufai turned against Tinubu, allegedly working to undermine his candidacy in Kaduna State during the election.

All 34 members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly reportedly indicted him for abuse of office and money laundering

The second blow came when el-Rufai, expecting a ministerial role as a consolation, failed his screening due to what Omokri calls a legacy of “atrocities” from his eight-year tenure as governor. Rather than accept accountability, Omokri alleges el-Rufai deflected blame for the turmoil that marked his administration.

Omokri’s third point highlights el-Rufai’s political isolation in Kaduna. Within a year of leaving office, all 34 members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly reportedly indicted him for abuse of office and money laundering. Omokri contrasts this with Tinubu’s sustained loyalty from the Lagos State House of Assembly, questioning el-Rufai’s boasts of unseating the president in 2027.

The fourth “sorrow” centers on Governor Uba Sani, el-Rufai’s successor, whose administration has reportedly outperformed expectations. Omokri notes Kaduna’s improved security, record-breaking ₦100 billion internally generated revenue in 2024—the highest in Northern Nigeria—and enhanced interfaith collaboration, achievements that reportedly infuriate el-Rufai.

In the fifth critique, Omokri claims Northern appointees under Tinubu—outshining el-Rufai in performance and popularity—have deepened his frustration. The sixth point sees el-Rufai eclipsed as an opposition figure by Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, thwarting his ambitions to lead the anti-Tinubu camp.

Bello, a House of Representatives member, distanced himself politically

The seventh grievance ties to the Tinubu administration’s economic gains—3.84% GDP growth in 2024, inflation below 25%, and unemployment at 4.3%—leaving el-Rufai, per Omokri, resorting to personal attacks on Tinubu and allies like Vice President Kashim Shettima and NSA Nuhu Ribadu.

Family tensions form the eighth and ninth sorrows. Omokri alleges el-Rufai’s son, Bello, a House of Representatives member, distanced himself politically, aligning with Governor Sani to secure his 2027 re-election bid. Meanwhile, el-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza, reportedly admitted on November 19, 2024, that their son Bashir’s criticism of Tinubu stemmed from el-Rufai’s exclusion from a key appointment—exposing, Omokri argues, a scorned politician’s motives.

The tenth blow came during the February 20, 2025, launch of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s autobiography, a landmark Northern event where el-Rufai’s absence underscored his diminished regional clout. The eleventh sorrow, Omokri writes, is the silence of prominent Northern leaders, leaving el-Rufai isolated save for a few loyalists.

Finally, Omokri points to a 2019 incident when el-Rufai threatened EU election observers with death ahead of Nigeria’s presidential vote—a scandal that tarnished his international reputation. Unwilling to face exile, Omokri asserts, el-Rufai remains “stuck” in Nigeria, grappling with the consequences of his actions.

Nasir el-Rufai’s chickens have come home to roost, and he does not like the eggs they are laying

Omokri concludes with a flourish: “My fellow Nigerians, there you have it—Nasir el-Rufai’s chickens have come home to roost, and he does not like the eggs they are laying!” Whether this narrative holds as a definitive account or a partisan jab remains a matter of debate, but it undeniably fuels the ongoing discourse surrounding one of Nigeria’s most polarizing political figures.