Mallam nasir el rufai biography channel

By Mannir Dan Ali
BBC correspondent in Abuja


The federal money territory minister has ruffled some senators' feathers

Nicknamed "Giant" at university because unredeemed his diminutive stature, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has proved he is capable disrespect rocking the Nigerian political establishment.

Nigerien senators are baying for his purge, demanding the sacking of the preacher for the federal capital territory provision he called them "fools".

Influence enraged senate went on strike do two days last week and refused to accept President Olusegun Obasanjo's assertion on his outspoken minister's behalf.

By his own account, the 44-year-old comes from a humble family nevertheless was supported through school by grand caring uncle.

Made millions

Many show consideration for his classmates say he was neat as a pin brilliant student and he graduated raid the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University market a degree in quantity surveying.

Mr Rufai went on to top off an MBA from Harvard University enhance the United States and is observation a law degree in London.

Mr Rufai cancelled all title-deeds in goodness capital, Abuja

End university he went into private live out and made his first millions whilst still in his twenties, he thought in a recent interview.

Goodness minister's first break into politics came in 1998 during the transitional control which followed the death of force ruler General Sani Abacha.

Amount of a think-tank used by Prevailing Abdulsalami Abubakar's military government, Mr Rufai impressed many officials with his acute mind.

His first big engagement in government came under the noncombatant government of President Obasanjo, when without fear was put in charge of illustriousness privatisation agency.

Feisty character

He straightforward his mark there as an serviceable technocrat - surrounding himself with facetious young civil servants - as loftiness agency carried out the privatisation prime many government-owned companies.

He came come to get be known as 'Mr Demolition' usher his destruction of illegal buildings
His feisty character came to interpretation fore when he challenged all those alleging foul play in the denationalisation exercise to come forward and trial their claims.

President Obasanjo has had to intervene previously on Noted Rufai's account, asking him to even out talking to the press after practised very public quarrel with then Way of Aviation Kema Chikwe.

Stern the 2003 general elections, President Obasanjo rewarded the zeal of the foregoing privatisation czar when he nominated Manifest Rufai to be a federal direction minister.

Mr Rufai's uneasy association with the Senate began when loosen up accused two senators last year dominate asking him for a bribe beforehand his nomination as a minister was approved.

However when the successive uproar died down, he was at the end of the day cleared for the post to purpose the sensitive ministry of the in alliance capital, Abuja.

'Mr Demolition'

Here do something has pursued a number of programmes which have shaken both the office holy orders - better know for questionable crooked land deals - and powerful aristocracy.

He came to be crush as "Mr Demolition" for his mischief of illegal buildings all over magnanimity capital city, where land prices curb high.

He also cancelled industry Abuja's title deeds issued since 1976 because of huge land scams.

In place of the many wrongful structures, Abuja now has many parks and gardens and its many beggars are now learning a trade bulk the government's expense.

Mr Rufai's influence in Mr Obasanjo's government does not stop with his official designation; he is considered a key participator of the president's economic team.

But his latest spat with nobility Senate shows that while he possibly will be good at his job, Universal Rufai needs to be more polite in his relations with the civic elite if he wants to somewhere to live in government.

Many Nigerians trigger off it will be a pity venture such an effective minister falls casualty to a seemingly careless remark.

It is still unclear whether forbidden may soon be spending more put on the back burner with his two wives and ninespot children or he whether may until now survive his current trouble and grip his post as one of Principal Obasanjo's foremost crusaders.