by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has stirred debate on social media with a controversial statement suggesting that for Nigeria to achieve greatness, certain individuals must die.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Bashir wrote:
“Nigeria can become great again. Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on context), a few certain people have to kpai to achieve this dream.”
The word “kpai” is Nigerian slang often interpreted to mean “die.”
His comments quickly drew backlash, with several users criticizing the post and pointing out that his own father could be included in such a category.
A user, @Undiluted_Ola, replied: “Your dad is leading in this one and definitely first that needs to make way for the new generation.”
Another, @legendchild2019, wrote: “Your father must be among those that will kpai.”
This reaction comes amid growing speculation about Nasir El-Rufai’s political ambitions. Reports suggest that he may be aligning with opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections. There are also unconfirmed claims that he could potentially run as a vice-presidential candidate alongside former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party recently endorsed by several opposition leaders.