Former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai has responded to Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, over comments regarding his criticism of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the current administration.
El-Rufai had earlier expressed his disappointment with the ruling party, stating that it had strayed from its core principles. He noted that he no longer recognizes the APC he once helped build, citing the lack of meetings by key party organs for over two years.
Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, he said, “I am a founding member of the APC. But frankly, I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years — no caucus, no NEC, nothing. I don’t even know if it is a one-man show. It is a zero-man show.”
Following this statement, Bwala questioned whether El-Rufai’s views on the APC would have been different if he had been part of President Tinubu’s cabinet. It is worth recalling that on August 7, 2023, the Senate withheld El-Rufai’s ministerial confirmation due to security concerns.
In response, El-Rufai took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to address Bwala’s remarks. He dismissed suggestions that his stance was influenced by his exclusion from the government. He wrote, “The pathetic manner in which 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.”
El-Rufai further noted that his position would not have changed even if he had been part of the government. He stated that he would have voiced his concerns privately first and, if necessary, taken them public if no action was taken. “If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I would have said or done the same on the tragedy within a party I founded, 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 added.
El-Rufai’s remarks have sparked discussions about internal disagreements within the APC and concerns about the party’s leadership structure. His comments also reflect ongoing tensions between some founding members of the party and the current administration.
