Civil rights activist and music executive Audu Maikori has criticised former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing his administration as one of the most authoritarian in the state’s history.
Speaking on Arise TV, Maikori responded to El-Rufai’s recent remarks about his 2017 arrest over a tweet concerning killings in Kaduna.
El-Rufai had claimed that Maikori shared false information capable of inciting communal unrest and refused to withdraw it after being contacted by government officials.
According to the former governor, the government acted after Maikori stood by the post when questioned.
However, Maikori rejected that account, insisting he corrected the error once he realised the information was inaccurate.
He explained that he reported himself to a police station in Lekki after discovering his driver had misled him.
He also said he contacted the then Kaduna State Attorney General, Amina Sijuade, and issued a public retraction and apology on February 4, 2017.
Maikori contrasted his actions with El-Rufai’s handling of casualty figures during the 2019 crisis in Kajuru.
He alleged that despite warnings from security officials and others to verify the numbers, the former governor did not retract or apologise for the disputed figures.
He further claimed that several Adara elders were detained for months without bail before charges were eventually dropped.
Regarding his arrest, Maikori described it as persecution rather than prosecution, noting that courts later ruled the action unlawful and awarded damages against El-Rufai.
He criticised what he called the former governor’s pattern of intimidation, prolonged detentions, and demolitions during his time in office.
Maikori also compared El-Rufai’s tenure with that of the current governor, Uba Sani, saying the state has experienced significant changes in recent years.
On his political affiliation, Maikori confirmed he is now a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the same party El-Rufai belonged to at the time of the incident.
He emphasised that the matter goes beyond party politics, adding that the legal battle over his arrest is still before the Supreme Court.
Maikori concluded by calling for accountability in leadership, stating that public office should be exercised as a trust rather than a tool for personal battles.
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