By: Manaoh Kikekon
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| Nasir El-Ruai |
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of being “traumatised” and “sulking” over his failed ministerial appointment.
However, the ruling party remained silent on El-Rufai’s references to Tinubu’s alleged involvement in cocaine trafficking and certificate forgery scandals in Chicago.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC described El-Rufai as a self-serving politician nursing a bruised ego. The statement read, “El-Rufai appears traumatised by his failure to secure a ministerial position. Nursing a bruised ego, he now lashes out at the very platform that propelled him to political prominence. He should quit sulking, get a grip, and salvage some respectability.”
The APC further criticized El-Rufai, labeling him as “the epitome of a self-interested politician, blinded by ego, driven by untamed emotion, and brimming with a vengeful desire to ‘collapse the system.’” The party also dismissed his call for opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Rauf Aregbesola, and Rotimi Amaechi, to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to challenge the APC.
“El-Rufai’s call for opposition members to join him under the SDP banner is nothing short of an invitation to drink from a chalice poisoned by selfishness, vengefulness, and delusions of grandeur. Nigerians are far more savvy than El-Rufai thinks, and they know that he is driven by raw self-interest rather than a genuine concern for the country,” the statement added.
While the APC highlighted the achievements of the Tinubu-led administration, it conspicuously avoided addressing El-Rufai’s allegations about Tinubu’s past. El-Rufai had claimed that he supported Tinubu’s presidential bid despite being aware of his “sordid antecedents,” hoping that Tinubu would replicate his achievements as Lagos governor on a national scale.
“We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed,” El-Rufai stated, referencing Tinubu’s alleged involvement in cocaine trafficking and certificate forgery scandals.
El-Rufai’s relationship with Tinubu soured after he was nominated for a ministerial position but was rejected by the Senate during the screening process. His recent criticisms have sparked a war of words, with the APC dismissing his remarks as the rantings of a disgruntled politician.
As the political drama unfolds, the APC’s silence on the Chicago scandals raises questions about how the party plans to address these lingering allegations against President Tinubu. Meanwhile, El-Rufai’s call for opposition unity under the SDP banner has been met with skepticism, with the APC asserting that Nigerians are too discerning to fall for what it describes as a self-serving agenda.
The political landscape remains tense as both sides trade barbs, leaving Nigerians to ponder the implications of these revelations and the future of the ruling party’s credibility.