Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, has said he does not regret his comments about how the issue of godfatherism can be tackled in Lagos State politics.
Governor El-Rufai said this while speaking to reporters after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
The governor had at a recent function boasted that he had retired about four individuals deemed to be lord of Kaduna politics, insisting that the same feat could be replicated in Lagos.
Quizzed by reporters on whether his comments were directed at Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor El-Rufai stated that he is not aware that the APC stalwart is designated as the godfather of Lagos politics.
He stated that he has a cordial relationship with Tinubu, adding that anyone who felt offended by his remarks should live with it.
Governor El-Rufai said: “We are in the same party, we get along very well, as far as I know.
“I don’t know if he is the godfather of Lagos, it is up to him to say that. What I know for sure is that we have retired godfathers in Kaduna and I have told those that asked me the question that there are six million registered voters in Lagos and only one million voted in the last election, so there are five million people you can bring into the electoral playground and you can defeat anybody if you work hard but it is hard work; it is four years, that is what I said.
“If anyone feels offended by that, that is his business.”
On whether Lagos State should adopt the template used to whittle down the influence of godfatherism in its politics, Governor El-Rufai said he would not make any recommendation, noting that the peculiarities of both states are different.
The governor, however, insisted that he has a right to express his opinions about the state of the polity without having to explain to anyone.
He said: “I have no recommendation to Lagos, I am the governor of Kaduna state, I know Kaduna politics pretty well and I play my role well in my party towards the overall success of the party.
“So I have no recommendations for anyone. I am just saying If I am asked a question and I give an answer, anyone that feels offended by the answer, that is his own business.
“I have no apologies, I don’t apologise for my views; my views are thought-out and I put them there. I don’t have to explain anything to anyone.
“This is a democracy and in a democratic space, there must be room for people to express their views. You can disagree, you can abuse me if you don’t like my views but that is it.”
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