Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that he does not belong to the category of politicians who engage in theatrics while in government, stating that he has always been direct and uncompromising in his approach to leadership.
El-Rufai made this statement on Saturday in response to a social media user who praised his book, The Accidental Public Servant, and described him as a politician only fit for a government genuinely committed to national development.
“The day I read El-Rufai’s book titled The Accidental Public Servant, I concluded that no politician would want @elrufai in their cabinet unless they genuinely intend to develop this country. He doesn’t know how to pretend,” the user posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In response, El-Rufai appreciated the compliment and emphasized his aversion to political deception.
“Thanks for your kind words, @irahabib. Truly, I don’t know how to pretend. Being a Nollywood actor in governance is for some others, not some of us. Have a nice day,” he tweeted.
El-Rufai’s Disillusionment with APC
El-Rufai’s remarks come at a time when he has openly criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he co-founded. Speaking at a recent event in Abuja, he expressed disappointment over the party’s deviation from its core principles.
“I am a founding member of the APC. But frankly, I no longer recognize 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 or a zero-man show,” he lamented.
According to El-Rufai, the party was originally formed to combat corruption, revive the economy, and restore national security. However, he stated that these objectives remain unfulfilled.
“The party has left me behind. We wanted to build a progressive party that would fight corruption, revive the economy, and restore security for Nigerians. That was our goal. But where is the APC now? I still believe the primary purpose of political engagement in Nigeria remains to fix the economy, restore security, and fight corruption. But those issues are still unresolved,” he said.
Presidency Reacts to El-Rufai’s Criticism
El-Rufai’s remarks sparked reactions from political stakeholders, including Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, who questioned whether the former governor would have held the same views if he were part of the current administration.
“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,” Bwala stated.
El-Rufai, however, dismissed Bwala’s argument, maintaining that he had already made it clear to President Tinubu that he was not interested in a role in his administration.
“I was a cabinet minister 22 years ago, and I was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government,” he replied on X.
He further criticized the narrative that he was disgruntled because he was not appointed, stating, “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 would 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,” he added.
El-Rufai remains a controversial figure in Nigerian politics, known for his bluntness and often confrontational stance on governance. His recent remarks further highlight the growing discontent among some APC stalwarts regarding the party’s direction under the current administration.
