A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has risen in defence of the former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his party.
The former governor had during a national conference democracy in Abuja on Monday expressed deep concern over the state of the ruling party and Nigeria’s political landscape.
He accused the party of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership, in what appeared to be a thinly veiled jibe at the Tinubu government.
El-Rufai said: “You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today.
“The constitution’s minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate is not enough for effective leadership in today’s complex world.”
He urged opposition parties to set aside differences and form a broad coalition capable of challenging the APC.
He warned that without a strong opposition, Nigeria’s democracy was at risk.
The former governor’s comments did not sit well with some loyalists of president who have rained abuses on him for daring to speak his mind on the current situations in the ruling party and the country as a whole.
However, Igbokwe in a post on his official Facebook page on Wednesday reminded the APC followers that El-Rufai and other bigwigs contributed enormously to Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 election.
He stressed that the party still needs the ex-governor ahead of future elections.
The APC chieftain wondered why some cabals in the government frustrated El-Rufai’s appointment after he was nominated as minister in 2023.
Igbokwe wrote: “All things considered APC Nigeria needs the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. He worked so hard for APC during the 2023 Presidential and Governorship Elections.
“I am a witness to how Governor El-Rufai, former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and one other governor went to stop the criminal Emefiele’s dubious money policy that was targeted at PBAT which nearly truncated PBAT victory. I also remember the excruciating efforts he put down to retain Kaduna for APC.
“ El-Rufai was nominated as a minister and we allowed shenanigans and people without honour to come to hallowed chambers of the Senate to stop his nomination for reasons we do not know. If reality is to prevail he was supposed to take a bow, just walk away.
“APC allowed the interlopers to walk away with their sadistic tendencies. Now let me ask this question: Of what meat are they fed? Who among all the ministers in the Federal Cabinet is greater, smarter, bolder, more clever, proficient, and deeper than Mallam El Rufai?
“Neglecting and ignoring our scholar in the finest and best tradition is incomprehensible and unacceptable. May we never forget this stormy petrel with loads of capacity and capability? Malam El Rufai na man oooooo.
“For whatever reasons APC NIGERIA must not ignore this great man. We cannot afford to lose him to the rival party. He is one of the strong characters we cannot afford to lose at a time like this. Case rested.”
