Since the advent of social media, debates and arguments in high places have been less hidden than they used to be when there was none.

The latest of such public disagreements is the one between the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir ElRufai and the Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray Bruce.

Both public officers tackled each other over some rail projects in Kaduna State.

Bruce had in a tweet on Thursday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to give honour to whom it is due by thanking former President Goodluck Jonathan for the train ride he took in Kaduna when he inaugurated Nigeria’s first Inland Dry Port in the state.

I hope President @MBuhari remembers to say thank you to former President @GEJonathan for the train ride he enjoyed in Kaduna. Some of us haven’t forgotten that that achievement was ENTIRELY the handiwork of the Jonathan government. Nigeria should give honour to whom honour is due

— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) January 4, 2018

But ElRufai dismissed the senator’s claim the next day, saying the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and not Jonathan’s administration should be appreciated the rail projects instead.

Wrong Distinuguisnhed Senator! The Obasanjo administration which Jonathan was not part of, designed, raised the financing and started the EPC of the Lagos-Kano dual track-standard gauge rail system, and the Abuja Light Rail. Yar’Adua-Jonathan stalled both projects for two years! https://t.co/wVc45vKjyX

— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) January 5, 2018

After clarifying that he was not referring to the Abuja light rail, but rather the Abuja-Kaduna railway, the senator challenged the Governor to a public debate on the issue.

Your dislike of the late Yar’adua may have clouded your judgment. I made no mention of the ‘Abuja light railway’. My tweet referred to the Abuja-Kaduna railway which IS a product of the Jonathan administration. I am happy to publicly debate this with you. https://t.co/sIl2KBNFK0

— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) January 5, 2018

But the governor dismissed the challenge on Saturday, saying there was nothing to debate about it.

He wrote: “There is nothing to debate. Facts cannot be debated. Opinions are free.
“While the Obasanjo administration was conceiving the rail modernization programme, Sen Ben-Bruce was organizing beauty contests and Jonathan was a deputy governor. I am not cluelessly common-sensical.”

There is nothing to debate. Facts cannot be debated. Opinions are free. While the Obasanjo administration was conceiving the rail modernization programme, Sen Ben-Bruce was organizing beauty contests and Jonathan was a deputy governor. I am not cluelessly common-sensical! ~ Nasir https://t.co/5VwAQVo26Y

— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) January 6, 2018