The publisher of NN News Media, Nkiruka Nistoran, has sharply criticized activist Aisha Yesufu, accusing her of “shameless hypocrisy” over her recent comments about former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai.
In a video, Yesufu discusses the difficulty of reconciling with El-Rufai due to his controversial record, particularly the unresolved 2019 abduction of government critic Dadiyata. She acknowledges the emotional and ethical challenges of engaging with figures she believes have committed serious offenses, but emphasizes the importance of remaining politically active to counter negative influences. “Politics is not a love affair,” she says, arguing that disengagement only allows bad actors to dominate.
Nistoran responded by questioning Yesufu’s consistency, pointing out her past support for President Muhammadu Buhari, under whose administration El-Rufai held significant influence. She challenged the activist’s expectation that Labour Party’s Peter Obi should treat El-Rufai as an adversary over issues in the Middle Belt and Southern Kaduna.
“El-Rufai has not wronged the South-East,” Nistoran stated. “So what should we do about Yakubu Gowon, who was responsible for the deaths of millions of our people? No one feels anything about Gowon. Yet you want Obi to pick a fight with El-Rufai? You APC-paid agents are falling apart, and it’s becoming obvious.”
She also noted that the Middle Belt and Southern Kaduna are politically aligned with El-Rufai, suggesting that Yesufu’s criticism is driven more by partisan interests than principle.
Ending her statement with a sharp rebuke, Nistoran declared: “Go and hang on a transformer Peter Obi will not make someone else’s enemy his own.”
