The National President of Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, has in an interview with Daily Sun, described Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State as the "funniest creature" he has ever seen.
Pogu while responding to a question on El-Rufai's claim that his refusal to give brown envelopes to Southern Kaduna leaders, was responsible for the kiIIings, said although he knows El-Rufai as an intelligent man, he however, sometimes, talks like a man under the influence of some weird substance.
"Somebody who has read up to PhD should do better. Anybody who knows Southern Kaduna should be able to make rational judgment about the population in Southern Kaduna; we have census figures and there is no part of the senatorial zone that can compete with Southern Kaduna in terms of population. In terms of population, it is about the same with the other two senatorial districts put together.
"Why should he make such a claim at a time when he ensures that everybody who holds a position of authority in Kaduna, appointed either by the federal or the state is a Muslim, Hausa Fulani; everybody.
"It shows that the person is either having an agenda, which he is pursuing or he is deceptive. I’m sorry; he had better changed because Nigeria is bigger than any single person."
But there are those who praise the Kaduna State Governor, saying he is simply a victim of misconception. Senator Uba Sani, praised El-Rufai as a man who can see through the future what many can only imagine, and to him, is the best performing Governor in the country.
He said, "Mallam Nasir El- Rufa’i, is way ahead of his time. He sees today, what most people would eventually see, maybe four years later or more.
"Remember when he was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the reforms he effected, especially the restoration of the Abuja Master Plan, was deemed tortious and even controversial. But that is the hallmark of great and transformational leaders: they take hard decisions for the greater good of all, no matter whose ox is gored.
"The truth is that Governor Nasir El-Rufai is not just a man of strong conviction but a very fair minded person.
"Let me tell you, in life, nothing can be as discouraging as when you are misunderstood or when you are putting in not just your best but your all, to make a situation work and you are being perpetually sabotaged.
"In fact, I just pity Mallam Nasir El Rufai. I have not seen a more misunderstood Nigerian leader. Mallam Nasir El Rufai’s closest and most trusted aides are mostly Christians either from southern part of the country or Southern Kaduna. In fact, more than 15 per cent of members of Governor El-Rufai’s cabinet are not even from Kaduna State. The Governor is being wrongly portrayed; totally misunderstood and I think this is unfair.