Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has doubled down on his criticism of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Bola Tinubu-led government, insisting that his views would remain the same even if he were part of the administration.
El-Rufai’s statement on Thursday was in response to comments from Daniel Bwala, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communications. Bwala had questioned whether the former governor would have expressed the same concerns about governance had he been included in the current government.
Earlier this week, at a national conference in Abuja focused on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the country’s political landscape as a “national emergency.” He also lamented the absence of internal democracy within the APC, stating, “I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”
His remarks triggered backlash from the APC, which accused him of betraying the party and dragging the Federal Government. Bwala, in a post on his X handle, further challenged El-Rufai’s motives, writing:
"My senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam, a ji soron Allah mana.”
However, El-Rufai fired back, dismissing claims that he ever sought a ministerial position in Tinubu’s administration. Responding via X, he wrote:
"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."
He also criticized those defending the government blindly, accusing some political figures of being paid mercenaries who jump to defend every action of the administration, regardless of its merits.
"Enjoy your special adviser position, my brother, but remember that allegiance to God and country comes first in the human scale of accountability, before any person or authority," El-Rufai warned.
The exchange highlights growing tensions within the APC, as key figures continue to challenge the party’s internal leadership and governance approach.
