President Bola Tinubu withdrew Nasir el-Rufai from his ministerial list due to lack of trust, civil rights activist Shehu Sani has claimed.
Sani’s comments follow el-Rufai’s assertion that Tinubu initially pleaded with him to join his cabinet but later reversed the decision.
In response, the All Progressives Congress (APC) cautioned the former Kaduna State governor to respect his status, warning that continued public outbursts could provoke reactions from other party members.
During an interview with Arise Television on Monday night, el-Rufai alleged that despite Tinubu’s public appeal for him to serve in the administration, the President later had a change of heart for reasons best known to him.
Reacting via a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Sani labeled el-Rufai a traitor, accusing him of betraying trusted allies, including the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He argued that no reasonable leader would entrust power to someone known for selling out political associates for personal ambition.
Addressing concerns over the absence of key APC figures at recent National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed el-Rufai’s claims that the party’s internal structures were failing.
“All organs of the party are working. There is a difference between party men and people who speak because they have a grievance. Grievance-driven commentaries are not to be taken seriously. It was clear from all the comments that the former governor of Kaduna has an axe to grind,” Morka stated.
He further warned el-Rufai against allowing personal grievances to dictate his public statements, emphasizing that respected leaders must uphold their reputations.
“For today’s meeting, I was prepared to respond to the former governor and suggest to him that some of his recent engagements are unnecessary for someone who has occupied the positions he has in this country.”
“Men, who are respected must also continue to justify the respect they get. It is not a good idea that once you are dissatisfied, especially when it comes to personal experiences, you then want to visit your personal grievances with the system of a political party,” Morka added.
While acknowledging el-Rufai’s significance within the APC, Morka stressed that he remains just one individual within the party structure.
