A former member of the House of Representatives and close ally of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Farouk Aliyu, has accused former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai of political opportunism, claiming that the former governor would have been “insulting leaders” if he had been appointed a minister by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Aliyu made the remarks on Friday while speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, where he criticised El-Rufai’s recent attacks on the Tinubu administration and questioned his political sincerity.
According to Aliyu, El-Rufai’s opposition to the current government is driven largely by his exclusion from the federal cabinet rather than by genuine concern for governance.
“If Nasir had been made a minister, he would have been at the forefront of insulting people,” Aliyu said. “But he lost out and cannot accept it as God’s will. The same party that made him governor for eight years—now that he is out of power, he is insulting leaders and creating division.”
Aliyu further described El-Rufai as dishonest and motivated by personal ambition, arguing that loyalty among Nigeria’s political elite is often transactional.
“The political elite in this country are all the same—most of us are dishonest,” he added.
El-Rufai, a former minister and two-term governor of Kaduna State, was a prominent northern supporter of Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, famously insisting that Tinubu should emerge as president regardless of regional opposition. However, relations between the two men have since deteriorated.
After failing to secure a ministerial position, El-Rufai became increasingly critical of the administration, recently describing it as “the worst government Nigerians have ever seen.” He subsequently resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Since joining the SDP, El-Rufai has been advocating the formation of a broad opposition coalition aimed at unseating Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Aliyu suggested that the former governor’s actions reflect bitterness over lost political relevance rather than principled opposition.
“This is the same man who said, ‘Whether northerners like it or not, it must be Tinubu,’” Aliyu said, questioning the consistency of El-Rufai’s current stance.
El-Rufai has not responded directly to Aliyu’s comments. However, his recent public statements indicate a growing resolve to challenge the ruling party from outside its ranks, setting the stage for a potentially contentious political contest ahead of 2027.
Aliyu Says El-Rufai Would Have Attacked Leaders If Appointed Minister
