Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has insisted that he never sought or wanted a ministerial appointment in President Bola Tinubu’s government. He made this statement on Thursday while responding to criticisms from Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala.
El-rufai wrote on X, “I was a cabinet minister 22 years ago and was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government. The pathetic manner all of you latter-day converts to the Tinubu government make an issue of something that I never wanted in the first place is perhaps a reflection of the level of your moral flexibility.”
The controversy began after El-Rufai, while speaking at a democracy conference in Abuja on Monday, criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the quality of leadership in Nigeria. He described the state of governance as a “national emergency” and called for a coalition of opposition parties to challenge the APC.
Reacting to this, Bwala questioned whether El-Rufai would have expressed the same views if he had been part of the government. “My senior brother, if you were in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position?” Bwala asked.
El-Rufai responded sharply, stating that even if he had been in Tinubu’s government, he would not have hesitated to voice his concerns.
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El-rufai said, “If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I would say or do the same on the tragedy within a party I was a founder of and the government that emerged from it—first in private sessions with those concerned, and then go public if no remedial actions are taken.”
He also accused some government supporters of defending Tinubu blindly, regardless of his administration’s failures. “These clowns are political mercenaries that receive humongous monthly stipends from the security vote to be the first to jump on X and other platforms to defend everything the Asiwaju government does or fails to do, no matter how indefensible it may be,” he alleged.
Despite his insistence that he did not want a ministerial appointment, El-Rufai was nominated by President Tinubu for a cabinet position. However, the Senate refused to confirm him, citing “security concerns.”
This rejection marked a significant turning point, as El-Rufai, once considered a key figure in the APC, gradually distanced himself from the government. His recent remarks further cemented his discontent with the party he helped to build.
Bwala, in his latest response, suggested that El-Rufai’s opposition to Tinubu’s government stemmed from personal grievances rather than patriotism.
Bwala said, “The opposition sees that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment.”
He also denied El-Rufai’s claim that he was a “latter-day Tinubu supporter,” stating that both of them had contributed to Tinubu’s emergence as APC’s presidential candidate.
Bwala explained, “Before then, while you were from the CPC faction of the APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade [Adams] Oshiomhole when he chaired the party, among other efforts, to protect Asiwaju’s interests.”
He urged El-Rufai to resolve his grievances and return to the APC. “I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think are your grievances like the dignified man that you are,” Bwala said.
El-Rufai’s criticism of the APC and the Tinubu administration reflects growing tensions within the ruling party. His statements have reignited discussions about internal divisions and the challenges facing the government.