Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of orchestrating efforts to secure United States sanctions against opposition figure Rabiu Kwankwaso, describing the move as political vendetta dressed in diplomatic clothing.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television's Prime Time programme on Friday, el-Rufai questioned the selective targeting of the former Kano State governor in the proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which recommends visa bans and asset freezes over alleged religious freedom violations.
'The Evil This Government Is Capable Of'
"I think it is most unfair to tag Kwankwaso," el-Rufai said. "I'm trying to figure out whether it is the nine million dollars lobby money that led to the list of Kwankwaso because he has refused to move to the APC."
The former governor did not mince words in his assessment of the administration's alleged involvement. "Because the evil that this government is capable of is beyond imagination. They may be behind it because Kwankwaso has refused to move to the APC and there are rumours that he would move to the ADC. In fact, I cannot think of anyone else behind it."
Selective Justice?
El-Rufai pointed to what he described as glaring inconsistencies in the bill's targeting, noting that twelve northern states implemented Sharia law, with Zamfara taking the lead under governors who remain in the ruling party.
"I thought Zamfara should be listed there if at all anyone is to be blamed for this Sharia fiasco," he argued. "Kwankwaso followed suit like many northern governors, and Kano was not strict in implementing Sharia. So, he is not one of the governors that you would say are fundamentalists."
He highlighted that former governors associated with stricter Sharia implementations—including those who oversaw amputations—remain active within the All Progressives Congress without facing similar scrutiny. "Those that cut off hands are walking the streets, but they are in APC. Nobody is mentioning Ahmed Yerima or Abdulaziz Yari; these are governors of Zamfara state that promoted Sharia," el-Rufai added .
The Proposed Legislation
The bill, introduced by Republican lawmakers Chris Smith and Riley Moore, also targets groups including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and Fulani ethnic nomad militias, citing concerns over religious persecution and failure to prosecute offenders in Nigeria .
The legislation comes amid heightened US attention to Nigeria's security challenges, following President Donald Trump's redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern late last year .
Kwankwaso's associates have vigorously rejected the allegations, with the Kwankwasiyya movement describing the bill's references to their leader as "unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso's life and service" . The New Nigeria Peoples Party has similarly dismissed the move as a "contrived action against an innocent man" .
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