Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has raised concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s appointments since assuming office.
Speaking on Arise News’ PrimeTime program on Monday night, El-Rufai noted that Tinubu’s selection of officials appears to favor individuals from Lagos rather than ensuring broad national representation.
He stated that the appointments were not necessarily based on ethnicity but rather on personal connections. According to him, Tinubu was prioritizing his close allies from Lagos rather than appointing individuals solely because they are Yoruba.
“The president’s appointments are not being made because the appointees are Yoruba, but because they are his own boys. Most of the appointments do not even reasonably cover the South-West,” El-Rufai said.
He further noted that the imbalance in appointments should not be misinterpreted as favoritism toward the Yoruba ethnic group but rather as a concentration of power among the president’s long-time associates. He urged Nigerians to focus on holding individuals accountable rather than blaming entire ethnic groups for government actions.
El-Rufai also expressed concerns over the growing discontent in the northern region, stating that many people feel marginalized. He suggested that President Tinubu still has time to address these concerns and make necessary adjustments.
“Let’s focus on individuals and hold them accountable. President Tinubu needs to do something about that. It’s still not too late. He can correct it, but there is palpable anger in the north,” he stated.
Beyond appointments, the former governor also noted that Tinubu has not lived up to expectations in governance. He pointed out that hopes were high for Tinubu’s leadership based on his past record in Lagos, but so far, those expectations have not been met.
“Two years after the election of President Tinubu, none of the party organs are functioning, the progressive ideals are not being pursued with vigour and the very high expectations we had of the president to take this country to the highest level based on his track record in Lagos is somehow not materializing,” he said.
