The ongoing political rift between former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and President Bola Tinubu’s administration took a heated turn on Tuesday as Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, criticized El-Rufai for dwelling on his failed ministerial nomination.
Onanuga bluntly advised the former governor to “stop acting like a child” and move on.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Onanuga addressed El-Rufai’s recent remarks, dismissing his grievances as unnecessary.
“As a person, I pity the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. He feels hurt that he was not made a minister,” Onanuga said.
“The cabinet was formed in August 2023—it’s time for him to move on. He cannot continue to behave like a child, as if someone stole his bread.”
El-Rufai had been nominated for a ministerial position but was dropped after the Senate declined to confirm him, citing security concerns. However, in a recent interview on Arise TV, El-Rufai refuted claims that the Senate was responsible, alleging that President Tinubu personally withdrew his nomination.
“Since I left office, the President publicly begged me to come and serve in his government. I had my own plans and made it clear that I didn’t want anything,” El-Rufai said.
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“After two months of negotiations, we agreed on my nomination under certain conditions. But somewhere along the line, the President changed his mind. The National Assembly had nothing to do with it. The President simply didn’t want me in his cabinet—and that’s fine. I’ve moved on.”
Despite his claims of having “moved on,” El-Rufai has recently been vocal about his discontent with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), criticizing its lack of internal cohesion. His statements have fueled speculation that he remains bitter over his exclusion from Tinubu’s cabinet.
Responding to this, Onanuga acknowledged El-Rufai’s contributions to Tinubu’s victory but insisted that his exclusion from the administration was not a slight.
“It is natural for him to feel bad that he has been excluded. The President has acknowledged in a recent tribute that Nasir did a lot in installing President Tinubu. But if he is not in government, that doesn’t mean he should bring down the roof,” Onanuga said.
He further urged El-Rufai to accept the decision and focus on other endeavors, emphasizing that he has been in public service since 1999.
“It’s time for him to move on,” Onanuga concluded.
The escalating war of words signals lingering tensions within the APC, raising questions about El-Rufai’s next political moves and his future within the ruling party.