El-Rufai: I’d still criticise APC if I were in Tinubu’s govt

President’s aide urges him to return ‘home’   The former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and Daniel Bwala, special adviser on policy communication to President Bola Tinubu, have continued their war of words over the performance of the current administration and the state of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). El-Rufai, who on Monday […]

• President’s aide urges him to return ‘home’

 

The former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and Daniel Bwala, special adviser on policy communication to President Bola Tinubu, have continued their war of words over the performance of the current administration and the state of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

El-Rufai, who on Monday criticised the party for “straying away from its core values,” reiterated his position on Thursday, stating that his views would remain unchanged even if he were a member of President Tinubu’s cabinet.

Reacting to El-Rufai’s initial comments, Bwala questioned whether he would have held the same stance if he were part of the government.

In a response on Thursday morningvia a post on X, the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister dismissed Bwala’s remarks, insisting he had no interest in serving in the Tinubu administration.

“I was 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.

“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I will say or do the same on the tragedy within a party I was a founder, and the government that emerged from it – first in private sessions with those concerned, and then go public if no remedial actions are taken. Go and check my public service record from 1998.”

However, Bwala appealed to El-Rufai to return to the party, arguing that his criticism was driven by vengeance rather than patriotism.

“The opposition sees that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment,” he said.