Jonathan's Strong Man, Asari-Dokubo is A thug ––El-Rufai

Many Nigerians have questioned why the SSS has not invited Asari-Dokubo for questioning when he said: "Nigeria will burn if President Jonathan is not re-elected."

But Nasir El-Rufai was invited for saying, "If 2015 elections are rigged it might likely lead to violence."

Anyway, the Interim Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday referred to ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo as a thug, saying there is no basis for comparing himself with such a person...

El-Rufai said this during an interview with Sahara TV, while he was responding to questions about his 15-hour interrogation by the State Security Service, SSS.

When the former Minister of Federal Capital Territory was asked if the name of Asari-Dokubo ever came up during the interrogation, he said no, and stressed that he could not have mentioned Asari-Dokubo's name since their personalities were distinct in so many ways.

"Asari Dokubo is a thug. I don't compare myself to him. I've never taken up arms against the state. I'm a normal human, law-abiding Nigerian. I don't compare myself with thugs," El-Rufai said.

During the interview, El-Rufai also criticised the forthcoming national conference, describing it as a big ploy to divert attention from the failures of President Goodluck Jonathan's administration.

"I don't think that we need to spend N7bn to collect people with little legitimacy. It's an opportunity to create political division," El-Rufai said, adding that Nigerians will see that the conference is a joke.