Bold claim: A prominent entertainment executive accuses a powerful ex-governor of using state influence to persecute him over a deleted tweet. And this is the part most people miss: the clash isn’t just about a post—it’s about how political power can shape consequences for speech.
Audu Maikori, founder and chairman of Chocolate City Entertainment Group, has leveled serious allegations against Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State. He says El-Rufai persecuted him for a social media post from 2017 that contained inaccurate information, which Maikori promptly corrected and removed.
During a recent appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time, Maikori spoke in his own defense after El-Rufai’s prior interview, framing the episode as personal persecution rather than legitimate legal action.
Maikori explains that the uproar began from a tweet about violence in Southern Kaduna. He claimed he shared unverified details about deaths from clashes, information later shown to be misleading and provided by his driver. Upon realizing the mistake, he says he acted quickly: he handed a statement to the closest police station (Lekki) with his driver. He adds that his driver later confessed to fabricating the information, allegedly for personal gain.
Maikori says police and other authorities handled the situation professionally and released him after an initial DSS (Department of State Services) arrest on February 18, 2017. Yet he contends El-Rufai pressed the issue beyond what a normal investigation would entail. “A governor shouldn’t do the job of the police,” Maikori emphasizes. He notes that after the police released him, El-Rufai allegedly tried to tie the deleted tweet to deaths—reportedly seven people—lending weight to his broader claim of political retaliation.
Taking the argument a step further, Maikori asserts that El-Rufai organized his abduction, accusing the governor of persecuting him for the misstep he acknowledged and corrected. He frames this as persecution that extends beyond any lawful process, affecting him and others involved.
The dispute revisits the contentious 2017 Southern Kaduna violence, a period during which Maikori’s posts drew sharp rebuke from El-Rufai, who called them inflammatory and potentially inciting. Maikori has previously highlighted court rulings that deemed his detention in 2017 unlawful.
El-Rufai has not publicly commented on these new allegations as of today. The situation underscores ongoing debates over free speech, governance, and accountability within Nigeria’s political scene.
Would you view these events as a clear case of abuse of power, or a complex interaction between political influence and media responsibility? Share your perspective in the comments.
