Northern group comdemns El-Rufai over Tinubu criticism

A northern socio-political group, the Northern Minority Alliance for Balanced Leadership, has condemned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu.

El-Rufai on Tuesday claimed that the relationship between the President and the North had deteriorated, warning that Tinubu might face the same political fate as former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2027 elections.

Addressing journalists on Thursday, the acting National Coordinator of the group, Musa Makama, dismissed El-Rufai’s remarks, insisting that he should not be taken seriously.

Makama criticised El-Rufai’s political history, describing him as a politician who had benefited immensely from the system but was now fighting back after losing political relevance.

“Going by his antecedents, this is a man who has gained everything from politics. He has benefited immensely from being a politician. Now that he has lost out in the power struggle, he is fighting back,” he said.

The group noted that El-Rufai had previously displayed similar tendencies in his dealings with former Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Goodluck Jonathan.

“We all know his history. We saw how he acted with Yar’Adua, who was his boss. He did the same with Obasanjo and Jonathan. So we expect El-Rufai to fight back now that he has been sidelined,” Makama added.

The group expressed gratitude for Kaduna State’s inclusion in key government appointments, noting that the state had produced a minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief of Defence Staff.

“As a minority, we have no reason whatsoever to be unappreciative of Mr President. We appreciate what he has done for our people. So, El-Rufai is on his own and should not be taken seriously,” Makama stated.