Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai says the sound footing with which President Bola Tinubu’s leadership is going has deflected the ranks of those that did not see any good in the Muslim-Muslim ticket that propelled them to power.

Mr El-Rufai spoke at the launch of an autobiography and retirement programme of Ishaq Akintola on Sunday in Lagos.

Mr Akintola is the Muslim Rights Concerns (MURIC) founder and a Lagos State University (LASU) lecturer. He bows out of the university service on Monday on attainment of the statutory retirement age of 70.

Mr El-rufai, who was the keynote speaker, said with the present political advancement of the country, any political mobilisation based on ethnic or religious leaning was bound to fail.

“The way with which the present administration at the centre is changing things for the common good of the Nigerian people within a short period shows that leadership should be hinged on merit and not entitlement basis,” said the former governor.

Mr El-Rufai said the enthronement of Tinubu-Shettima was a repeat of the Abiola-Kingibe feat.

He said the culture of citizens-centred governance should be encouraged in the country to drive even development. 

“We must de-emphasise religion and ethnic colouration for us to build a society where no one should be discriminated against on the basis of ethnic nationality, religion or political leaning. 

“As members of the two major religious groups in the country, if we find ourselves in public positions, we should ensure we practice the basic principles of leadership as encapsulated in both Christian and Islamic religions.

“Both religions espoused the culture of good leadership, but some individual persons tend to do that which is at variance with the scriptures,” he said. 

He regretted that leadership choices based on entitlement in Kaduna plunged the state into a protracted crisis in the bygone years. 

The former governor, however, said a recent change in the old tradition of leadership choice had changed things for the better.

He described the South-Western part of the country as a tolerant society and encouraged them to continue with such spirit for its development. 

The former Kaduna governor was awarded the symbol “Icon of Ariwa Intigrity” for his service to humanity.

In a viral video last month, Mr El-Rufai justified the Muslim-Muslim ticket and asserted that the same would be sustained for 20 years.

(NAN)