“I Don’t Want Nigeria To Be Destroyed” – El-Rufai Reveals Why He’s Fighting Tinubu

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, calling it a joke and lacking the competence needed to address Nigeria’s problems.

Speaking on Arise News on Monday, El-Rufai said he expected Tinubu to follow the inclusive and professional approach he used while governing Lagos between 1999 and 2007.

However, according to him, the president has put together what he described as a bloated and underperforming cabinet.

“Look at his cabinet—it’s a joke. It is the largest in Nigeria’s history, and maybe only five of them can be called real ministers.

“In my time as a minister 20 years ago, we had individuals of the calibre of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili.

“Who do you see in this cabinet that fits that profile? There is simply no quality. We brought a tragedy upon Nigeria,” he said.

El-Rufai admitted he feels partly responsible for the mistake in supporting Tinubu during the 2023 elections.

The former governor said his support was based on Tinubu’s record in Lagos, which he believed showed promise.

“I supported him because I believed in his Lagos legacy. He was inclusive. He brought in professionals like Yemi Osinbajo and Wale Edun from the private sector. He appointed Igbos and Hausas in key roles, and he got things done. But now… this?

“I feel like I owe Nigeria a duty to correct this mistake. I am 65 now, approaching retirement, but I cannot rest knowing that I helped bring in a government that is hurting Nigerians.

“I will do all I can, with others, to reverse this trajectory. If we leave this unchecked, Nigeria will be destroyed,” he declared.

El-Rufai also revealed that despite being in the same party, he never had a close relationship with Tinubu.

The ex-governor said he was always aligned with former President Muhammadu Buhari, while Tinubu had his own loyal group.

He said, “I was never close to Tinubu. In the party, I was a ‘Buhari boy.’ Tinubu had his boys.

“The person I connected with was Baba Bisi Akande. I served as his deputy national secretary.

“So Tinubu never liked me. But when he won the ticket, I set my personal feelings aside and worked hard to deliver Kaduna for him. That was my duty as a party man.”

Speaking on Nigeria’s electoral body, El-Rufai expressed doubts about the current leadership of INEC under Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

He said he doesn’t believe INEC today would allow the registration of a new political party the way it happened under former chairman Attahiru Jega, when the APC was formed.

“Many of us do not believe that under the current leadership of INEC, a new party would be registered because Mahmood Yakubu is not Jega, and President Tinubu is not Jonathan.

“Those were the people in charge when APC was registered,” he said.

El-Rufai also threw his weight behind the Social Democratic Party (SDP), calling it the most suitable platform for a political coalition due to its history, legacy, and symbolic value.

“I strongly believe that SDP is the best platform for the coalition because it has a history, a legacy, sentimental value and everything about it is almost perfect.

“I am advocating for that amongst my colleagues,” he added.

This comes as El-Rufai joins forces with other political heavyweights like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to form a new political group known as the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), which is currently seeking registration.