Daniel Bwala, President Tinubu’s special adviser on policy communication, took on El-Rufai, over his comment that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has abandoned his founding principles and is now promoting poor leadership.

What did El-Rufai say against APC?

El-Rufai spoke on Monday, January 27, at the national conference in Abuja, and said the ruling APC has abandoned him despite being a founding member.

The former governor said:

“I no longer recognise 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.”

El-Rufai stressed that he was still there where they were as a founding member. He recalled that they planned to form a progressive party that would tackle corruption, restore security to Nigerians, and revamp the economy.

Why El-Rufai speak against APC

However, the former governor said he could not recognise where the APC was today and that it had left him behind. He expressed the belief that the purpose of the political contestation in Nigeria remained to rejig the economy, fight corruption and restore security. He said the problem persist.

He added that Nigeria ended up with poor leadership because the country has illiterates, semi-literates and cunning people at the helm of its affairs. He maintained that the problem that led to the creation of the APC persists and was not sure if the ruling party was willing to address it.

Bwala then took to his X page to react to El-Rufai’s outburst on Tuesday, January 28. He asked if the former governor would have shared the same view if he had been part of Tinubu’s administration.

El-Rufai challenged over comment on APC

The presidential aide noted that El-Rufai, a former FCT minister, was part of the formation of this government, but already plotting its removal.

He asked:

“My Senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position?”

There has been the allegation that the former governor was working to pitch a tent against President Tinubu outside the APC since 2023.

The rumour became prominent following the failure of the national assembly to clear El-Rufai through his ministerial nomination.

See Bwala’s tweet here:

El-Rufai dismissed rumours of dumping APC

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna state governor, has clarified that he was not planning to leave the ruling APC, contrary to speculation.

El-Rufai made the clarification on Tuesday, January 28, at the National Conference that was held in Abuja for two days.