“I Would Still Criticise APC If I Was In Tinubu’s Cabinet” – Nasir El-Rufai Tells Daniel Bwala

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai has responded to presidential media aide, Daniel Bwala, insisting that he would still criticize the All Progressives Congress (APC) even if he were serving as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

Speaking at a national conference in Abuja earlier in the week, Nasir El-Rufai distanced himself from the APC, claiming the party had become a “one-man show”.

“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today,” El-Rufai said.

Reacting on his X page, Daniel Bwala claimed that El-Rufai’s stance would have been different had he been part of the current administration.

He said, “My Senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam.”

El-Rufai quickly fired back, dismissing the claim and reminding Bwala of his previous government experience.

He wrote, “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.”

Nasir El-Rufai was initially nominated for a ministerial position in August 2023, but the Senate rejected his nomination.

Since then, the former governor has distanced himself from APC leaders, Aso Villa, and President Tinubu, despite playing a significant role in his election campaign.

KanyiDaily recalls that Nasir El-Rufai recently dismissed allegations of financial mismanagement during his time in office, stating he is willing to swear by the Quran to prove his innocence.