ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu may be linked to efforts by United States Congressman Riley Moore to blacklist former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over alleged violations of religious freedom.
El-Rufai suggested that the development could be tied to Kwankwaso’s refusal to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress, adding that speculation about the former governor’s possible move to the African Democratic Congress may have prompted the action.
Speaking on Prime Time on Friday, El-Rufai described Kwankwaso’s inclusion in Moore’s proposed legislation targeting Nigerians accused of sponsoring attacks against Christians as unjust and politically driven.
Moore, who represents West Virginia, announced on Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter) that he had introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, co-sponsored by Chris Smith of New Jersey.
The bill recommends specific punitive measures, including visa restrictions and asset freezes, against individuals and groups accused of involvement in religious freedom abuses in Nigeria.
It explicitly mentions Kwankwaso, alongside Fulani-ethnic nomad militias and groups such as the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
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The bill states in part, “The United States should deliver humanitarian assistance, co-funded by the Government of Nigeria, through trusted faith-based and nongovernmental organisations in Nigeria’s middle belt states; the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury should impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on individuals or entities responsible for religious freedom violations, including (A) Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria, (B) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor, (C) Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and (D) Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.”
During the programme, El-Rufai questioned why Kwankwaso was singled out when other northern governors who implemented Sharia law were not mentioned.
“I think it is most unfair to tag Kwankwaso, and I’m trying to figure out whether it is the $9 million lobbying money that led to his listing because Kwankwaso has refused to move to APC.
The evil that this government is capable of is beyond our imagination they may be behind it (blacklisting of Kwankwaso) because he has refused to move to the APC, and there are rumours that he will move to the ADC.
“They may be behind it. In fact, I cannot think of anyone else, because 12 northern states implemented Sharia. The first state to do so was Zamfara. I thought Zamfara should be listed there if anyone is to be blamed for this Sharia fiasco. Kwankwaso followed suit like many other northern governors, and Kano was not very strict in implementing Sharia.
“Kwankwaso is not one of the governors you would call a fundamentalist. Those who cut off the hands of Danlandi Gengebe or others are working the streets freely. They are in APC.
Nobody is mentioning their states or mentioning Yerima Bakura or Abdulaziz Yari, governors of Zamfara State, who protected and promoted Sharia. But it is Kwankwaso who is being targeted. It makes me want to ask: where is this coming from?
“I think we should be very discerning as Nigerians and not get carried away,” El-Rufai said.
The former governor urged Nigerians to avoid being influenced by what he described as foreign political grandstanding.
He dismissed suggestions that the move reflected genuine concern about Nigeria’s security situation, arguing that it was aimed at appealing to domestic Christian evangelical voters in the United States.
“As Nigerians, we should not get carried away and be pawns in what is essentially domestic political posturing. This whole ‘Christian genocide’ narrative and the latest bill is just the Republicans playing to their base the Christian evangelical base in the US. It has nothing to do with Nigeria.
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“It is not just about Kwankwaso; it is something that every Nigerian should be conscious of. All this posturing should be seen for what it is. It has nothing to do with concern; it is domestic politics in the US,” he added.
Turning to Nigeria’s internal challenges, El-Rufai lamented the government’s failure to adequately protect citizens, regardless of religion.
“It is heartbreaking that as a government, as a country, we are unable to protect all our citizens, whether they are Christians or Muslims. Everyone is at risk, and that is what we should worry about.”
He also criticised the nation’s security framework, saying it has collapsed due to incompetence or inaction.
“It is clear that the country is not secure. The security architecture has failed; the personnel are incompetent or are not doing the job, and we need to ask some very difficult questions so that it is recalibrated, and every Nigerian will feel safe,” he said.