Public commentator Ope Banwo has described the ongoing ordeal of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai as an instructive moment for Nigeria’s political class rather than a tragic episode.
According to Banwo, El-Rufai’s experience offers a practical lesson on the limits of former power in a system driven by current authority.
“This is not tragedy; it is instruction,” Banwo said. “It shows what happens when former power holders forget that relevance must be renewed daily.”
He explained that El-Rufai’s outspoken posture after leaving office placed him on a collision course with state institutions. “Once you are no longer the state, confronting it publicly becomes risky,” Banwo said.
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Banwo emphasized that Nigerian politics is structured around institutions, not personalities. “Individuals come and go. Institutions endure,” he noted.
He added that the state’s response, including actions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services, reinforces the principle that no former official is beyond scrutiny.
According to Banwo, the silence from the public is perhaps the most telling aspect of the episode. “Influence evaporates faster than people expect once office is gone,” he said.
He stressed that the lesson is not about fear but realism. “Political actors must understand when to speak and when to retreat,” Banwo stated.
Banwo concluded that El-Rufai’s fall should prompt reflection among Nigeria’s political elite. “Never confuse past power with present protection,” he said. “That mistake is costly.”
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