MANY Nigerians are still confused over the outburst last week by Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State and chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, who alleged that some unnamed persons in Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of power, are working to ensure that APC loses the 2023 general election, slated for this February and March.

Mallam el-Rufai alleged that “most of the people in the Villa (working against APC) are not members of our party. I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way.

 They had their candidates, and their candidates didn’t win the primaries, and I think they are still trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right”.

Who are those non-members of APC in Aso Rock that have so much power over Mr. President and his Vice – all leading members of APC? How did some people who are not members of APC come to have their own candidates in the APC primary? Are those unnamed persons bad people? If they are bad people, why are they supporting the president “to do what he thinks is right?”

Why would “the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right” be a threat to anybody or any political party? What are those things the President thinks are right and desires to do? – conducting free and fair elections? Redesigning of some denominations of the naira notes towards a cashless economy “to curb illicit election financing in the country”? Removing or not removing the fuel subsidy?

What is the meaning of the phrase, “…what he thinks is right”? Does it mean that what the President thinks is right is not what is right?

In any case, the APC-controlled Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, had swiftly addressed Mallam el-Rufai’s allegations. Speaking for the Federal Government, he said: “If there’s anybody who is working against any candidate, we don’t know officially. On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that, no matter who wins, this administration is focused and determined to ensure a free and fair election.

“And I think this administration, and for that matter now, the most important person in this regard is Mr. President; I think he (Mr. President) has shown by words and deed that he is committed to a free, fair and credible election. And fair, free, and credible elections mean not favouring or disfavouring anybody.”

We, and all well-meaning Nigerians, are happy that Mr. President has decided “to do what he thinks is right.” The President has never hidden those things he thinks are right. So, we think that the things Mr. President thinks are right are indeed right, and therefore he deserves the support of every well-meaning Nigerian.