September 2003. All Nigerians remember where they were because that month provided the most devastating evidence of corruption in the history of Nigeria’s legislative chambers, before Farukgate; moreso because the whole sorry story came from an unexpected source – a government official. Nothing had previously provided the poor of this nation with such a shameful expose of dirt in high places. It was a true life soap opera with a distasteful finale and twisted humour. Please allow me a few minutes to replay it here to show you how lucky Kaduna is today.

A ministerial nominee had been approached by two leaders of the Senate to ask him for N54 million so that they could ‘soften the ground’ for him to be swiftly cleared. He had refused to give them anything and told them that he would rather not be cleared. They were ‘prevailed upon’ by the Vice President and they cleared the nominee. But when, after the confirmation, he came across information that indicated that those Senators were actually paid to clear him, he had immediately decided to expose them, named them and shamed them. His story was published on August 31 by Sunday Guardian and, predictably, ‘all hell broke loose.’ But he cared less.

The Senate threatened fire and brimstone to deal with this ‘neophyte’ Minister. They shouted to the world that he was lying. And then they set up a kangaroo Senate Investigation Committee in September 2013 to prove it. Meanwhile, although everyone knew what some legislators do in the big house and almost all nominees had to bend to those unholy demands, many people advised the new Minister to retract his words and apologize. Some of his friends and fellow Minister reminded him that he had no evidence to prove that it had happened, that it was only his words against the Senators’ and that the President, in spite of apparent support, may be forced to relieve him of his appointment. But to the bewilderment of everyone, including spectators like this writer, the Minister chose to risk it all because, he said, he could not live with any kind of dent on his integrity. He said it did not matter if there was no recorded evidence since God Almighty was there and He knew he, the Minister, was speaking the truth.

And so in that fateful month, the Minister appeared before the Senate Committee, laid his hand on the Holy Quran, swore to tell only the truth, and went ahead to repeat his claims of being approached for that ignoble purpose by the two named Senators. He said God was His only witness, whom he swore by. And then it was the two Senator’s turn to depose. The first was a Muslim who, like the Minister, was to swear by the Holy Quran as evidence that he was going to tell only the truth. But to the rude shock of everyone, he said he would not touch the Quran. When he was asked again, he made it clear that he would not swear with the Holy Quran to tell only the truth. As the whole nation laughed at this clear case of admission of guilt, he opted to ‘affirm’ his intention to speak the truth and denied asking the Minister for money. By then, all attention had changed to the second Senator who was known to be a good Christian.

With the battered integrity of the Senate at a new low, many Senators in the Chamber were praying to God almighty to give this Christian brother the Will to swear by the Holy Bible and rescue some little honour for that ‘hallowed’ ground. This Senator walked to the stand with the confidence that made some Senators though that their prayers had been answered. He stood there like an emperor while, with bated breath, everyone waited and listened. He was asked to take the Holy Bible and to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He looked at the Bible pensively for a long while and then he decided not to risk God’s wrath. He too shamefully told the world that he would not swear by the Holy Bible. And the whole world laughed. That was why when the Senate later declared that it did not find them guilty as the Minister had not provided any evidence, nobody listened. The Minister may not have provided a video recording of the incident, but the fear of the two Holy Books of God had provided ample evidence for everyone to know that the Minister did not lie.

The first Senator was the Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, the second Senator was Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Jonathan Zwingina, and the brave, godly and honest Minister was Mal. Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai. That was how Nigeria’s poor came to know that there was a brand new breed of Nigerian leaders in town.

What the Senators and indeed the masses did not know was that just a few years earlier, Mal. Nasiru had also offered to resign his appointment as the Director General of BPE when his integrity was placed on the line by an action of the then Vice President. He had walked up to President Olusegun Obasanjo with his written resignation letter and requested to be relieved of that appointment. But Obasanjo would not oblige him. He rather convinced El-Rufai that he knew the allegation was unfounded and then prevailed on him to stay in Government so they could do more. Obasanjo said he would not let somebody’s false claims deny the nation the benefits of El-Rufai’s excellence, brilliance and dedication to duty. In fact, it was that confidence Obasanjo had in El-Rufai that earned him the ministerial nomination. And we all saw what Abuja became with Mal. Nasiru El-Rufa’i as its Minister. The dreams of Murtala and Obasanjo were finally realized.

Now this honest, brave, intelligent and efficient work of God is contesting for the Governorship of Kaduna State. This man who chose personal integrity over ‘meal ticket’ is offering his services to his people. This man who risked his ministerial appointment by refusing to bribe those Mighty Senators is asking for your votes. This brave man who shamed the high and mighty in the court of God is asking you to join him in his quest to make Kaduna great again.

Come out on February 14 to vote an honest team, Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo, to man the affairs of Nigeria; and then come out O Kaduna people on February 28 to vote the proven man of integrity, Mal. Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai and his brother Bala Barnabas Bantex to help you make Kaduna great again.

@AuwalAnwar

London

February 2015.