Nasir el-Rufai

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Ata, has tackled the former Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressive Congress (APC), describing his actions and comments as, “the dance of a sinking politician.”

In a Statement signed by his Aide, Seyi Olorunsola and made available to our Correspondent, Ata insisted that, “from time immemorial, Mallam El-Rufai has been a well-known rabble-rouser, constantly embroiled in controversy.

” His tenure as the Minister of the FCT under the President Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration was marked by contentious policies and an abrasive leadership style. This trend continued throughout his political journey, from his days in the opposition during the formative years of the APC to his tenure as a two-term Governor of Kaduna State.

“It is, therefore, unsurprising that in the present dispensation, while President Tinubu remains focused on tackling the multi-faceted challenges facing Nigeria, El-Rufai has chosen to embark on yet another round of political mischief.”

According to Ata: “As Governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai presided over an era of unprecedented insecurity, where ethnic and sectarian violence reached alarming levels. Under his watch, Kaduna recorded some of the highest fatalities linked to communal conflicts and terrorist activities.

“Infamously, he once admitted to making payments to foreign Fulani militias, a statement that remains a dark stain on his record and raises questions about his role in fostering peace and stability.

“His leadership style was often criticized as divisive, with policies that alienated minority groups and exacerbated communal tensions in the state. El-Rufai’s latest political outburst stems from his disappointment over his failure to secure a ministerial position in the current administration. Feeling entitled to a role in President Tinubu’s government, he was unable to pass the necessary security clearance, leading to his rejection by the Senate.

“Since then, he has carried himself like a man scorned, unleashing a barrage of unfounded criticisms and engaging in political brinkmanship.

“His recent defection from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is nothing more than an act of desperation—an attempt to remain relevant in Nigeria’s political discourse. However, this move was long anticipated, given his history of political opportunism and self-serving maneuvers. Mallam El-Rufai had recently claimed, as reported in the media, that the President was responsible for the division and crisis in the opposition parties of PDP, SDP, and LP in order to gain political capital heading into the next election cycle.

“This assertion, to say the least, is the height of ignorance on the part of Mallam El-Rufai about who President Tinubu is. Here is a man who has been loyal to his political base and had never been known to decamp from his political roots but instead formed coalitions with other legacy parties to create the APC.”

Ata maintained that,  “to think that such a man, who masterminded the upstaging of an incumbent party in 2015 and went on to work with then-President Buhari to ensure stability in the APC for those eight years before eventually becoming President through hard work and persuasive power, would now seek to cause division in other parties to his own disadvantage is simply illogical.

“Conversely, Mallam El-Rufai was a factor of division in the PDP before the party unraveled and lost the Presidential elections in 2015.

“It is, therefore, uncharitable for El-Rufai to claim that President Tinubu would be responsible for the crisis in the opposition party.

“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing Nigeria’s critical challenges, from economic reforms to infrastructural development and national security. While detractors like El-Rufai seek to distract and derail progress, the government and its supporters remain undeterred.

“His political career, which has been marked by opportunism and a penchant for controversy, is practically over, and his recent actions are nothing more than the last gasps of a politician grasping at straws.

“The APC and the Tinubu administration will not be swayed by El-Rufai’s antics. We urge Nigerians to remain focused on the progress being made under President Tinubu’s leadership and to disregard the distractions posed by political actors whose time has passed. The government will continue to deliver on its promises, ensuring that the mandate given by the Nigerian people is fully realized.”