NIGERIA: El-Rufai Should Move On, Stop Acting Like A Child – Onanuga

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

A fresh political rift has emerged between the Presidency and former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has urged El-Rufai to move on from his failed ministerial bid instead of sulking over it.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday as monitored by African Culture TV, Onanuga said the former governor appeared to be nursing a grudge over his exclusion from Tinubu’s cabinet months after its formation.

“I pity the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. He feels hurt that he was not made a minister. It has been a long time since the cabinet was formed in August 2023. I think it is time for him to move on. He cannot continue to behave like a child, as if someone stole his bread,” Onanuga said.

El-Rufai was initially nominated as a minister but was dropped after the Senate withheld his confirmation, citing security concerns.

Since then, he has remained distant from the Tinubu administration until recently, when he broke his silence, alleging that the President, not the Senate, was behind his exclusion.

In an interview with Arise TV on Monday, El-Rufai dismissed claims that the National Assembly was responsible for his ministerial rejection, revealing that Tinubu personally withdrew his nomination despite previously urging him to serve.

“Since I left office, the President publicly begged me to serve in his government,” El-Rufai stated. “I initially declined because I had my own plans. I supported Tinubu, but I made it clear from day one that I wasn’t interested in any political appointment.”

The former FCT Minister claimed he eventually agreed to join the administration after two months of negotiations and with specific conditions.

However, he alleged that Tinubu later changed his mind.

“The National Assembly had nothing to do with this. The President didn’t want me in his cabinet. He changed his mind. Whatever the reason, I don’t care, and I’ve moved on,” El-Rufai declared.

Despite stating that he has “moved on,” the former governor insisted he has every right to question why the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is not functioning as expected, adding that he remains a founding member of the party.