Presidency Alleges el-Rufai Plotting To Unseat President Tinubu
The Presidency has accused the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, of allegedly plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
Daily Sun ------- The Presidency has accused the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, of allegedly plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
The presidency made the allegation against the backdrop of el-Rufai's statement on Monday, lambasting the ruling party of failing to fulfil its electoral promises to Nigerians.
He also made veiled reference to lack of transparency in the electoral process, saying that, 75 per cent of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, warning of an impending crisis.
El-Rufai, was one of the speakers at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Monday.
El-Rufai, was one of the speakers at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Monday.
He lampooned the APC for failing to fulfil its promises to citizens, hinging his attacks on the party’s leaders on his determination to force them to change.
Asked if he was abandoning the party he helped in forming and nurturing, the immediate past Kaduna governor retorted, “I am not leaving the APC. I don’t have such plans. No, no, no, I only want them to change.”
Asked if he was abandoning the party he helped in forming and nurturing, the immediate past Kaduna governor retorted, “I am not leaving the APC. I don’t have such plans. No, no, no, I only want them to change.”
Lamenting the absence of democracy in the ruling, he further described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency,” blaming the problem of democracy in the country on the illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people in the positions of leadership.
His words, “I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-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 also, reflected on the party’s foundation, pointing out that the APC was originally established to combat corruption, rebuild the economy, and enhance security, noting however, that such goals had since been abandoned.
el- Rufai also, reflected on the party’s foundation, pointing out that the APC was originally established to combat corruption, rebuild the economy, and enhance security, noting however, that such goals had since been abandoned.
According to him, "The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved, but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening.”
He then urged the opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the ruling party and protect democracy.
He then urged the opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the ruling party and protect democracy.
His words, "There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party. The Labour Party is also facing similar issues.
“Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with. There seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties.
“This is dangerous. For those of us who lived under military rule, we know what it is. We don’t want military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babanriga and suits."
However, reacting to el-Rufai's comments, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused the former governor of Kaduna of planning to unseat the government he helped form.
Writing on his X handle, Bwala questioned if El-Rufai would have made the same statements were he in the government’s cabinet.
Bwala noted, “My Senior brother, if you were 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 forming, that you now want to unseat...
"The man with a history of undisguised intolerance to the opposition and hypersensitive allergy to criticisms have no moral and saintly feet to stand on the pulpit of democracy to preach about good governance.
“Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with. There seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties.
“This is dangerous. For those of us who lived under military rule, we know what it is. We don’t want military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babanriga and suits."
However, reacting to el-Rufai's comments, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused the former governor of Kaduna of planning to unseat the government he helped form.
Writing on his X handle, Bwala questioned if El-Rufai would have made the same statements were he in the government’s cabinet.
Bwala noted, “My Senior brother, if you were 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 forming, that you now want to unseat...
"The man with a history of undisguised intolerance to the opposition and hypersensitive allergy to criticisms have no moral and saintly feet to stand on the pulpit of democracy to preach about good governance.
“If Nasiru is in a Keke NAPEP, he will call it a Lamborghini; if he is thrown out of the Lamborghini, he will call it a Keke NAPEP.
“He demonised the opposition when in the palace and he is now embracing them when in the wilderness. Today, Tinubu’s government is led by illiterates because they refused to hire Professor Nasiru, who left behind a heap of garbage in Kaduna and is now preaching hygiene in Nigeria.
“What is happening at the national level is the Lagos State playbook. The APC wants to ensure that no opposition party presents a formidable candidate at the national level, which is why they are deliberately fomenting trouble everywhere.
“I agree with El-Rufai that the only way the APC can be defeated is by having a strong coalition of opposition parties."
“He demonised the opposition when in the palace and he is now embracing them when in the wilderness. Today, Tinubu’s government is led by illiterates because they refused to hire Professor Nasiru, who left behind a heap of garbage in Kaduna and is now preaching hygiene in Nigeria.
“What is happening at the national level is the Lagos State playbook. The APC wants to ensure that no opposition party presents a formidable candidate at the national level, which is why they are deliberately fomenting trouble everywhere.
“I agree with El-Rufai that the only way the APC can be defeated is by having a strong coalition of opposition parties."
The former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, Shehu Sani also hit El-Rufai over his comment.
According to Sani, El-Rufai in power practised tyranny but out of power preaches democracy.
According to Sani, El-Rufai in power practised tyranny but out of power preaches democracy.
He described El-Rufai as a man who has resorted to speaking ill of a woman because she turned him down.
The immediate past national spokesperson of the PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan, however, told Daily Sun that El-Rufai’s comments were not far from the truth. He believes the ruling party is fomenting trouble in the PDP and LP to weaken them.
The immediate past national spokesperson of the PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan, however, told Daily Sun that El-Rufai’s comments were not far from the truth. He believes the ruling party is fomenting trouble in the PDP and LP to weaken them.
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