The former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised individuals he referred to as “clowns” who, he alleges, were paid to defend President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
El-Rufai’s comments came after a response from Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, who had rebuked him for his criticism of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking at a national conference on democracy, El-Rufai labelled the state of governance and opposition as a “national emergency” and criticised the APC for its lack of internal democracy. This sparked speculation that he was considering leaving the party.
In his counter-reply, El-Rufai clarified that he had told the President he had no interest in joining his government. He expressed his disapproval of individuals defending the administration without moral integrity, calling them political mercenaries.
El-Rufai also remarked on his past record, stating that if he had stayed in the government, he would have voiced similar criticisms privately and publicly if needed.
