Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that some individuals paid to secure ministerial positions in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai revealed that his decision to distance himself from the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not solely due to his ministerial ordeal but rather because the party had deviated from its founding principles.
“APC Abandoned Its Ideals”
El-Rufai stated that he did not leave the APC but instead, the party had abandoned him and its core values. He noted that it would have been easier if he had been expelled, as it would have spared him the burden of explaining his exit.
“It could have been easier for me if APC sacked me because they would save me from explaining the stress of why I left the party,” he said.
When asked whether he left due to not being appointed as a minister, he denied any such motivation.
“Did I seek to be a minister? I know people who paid to get ministerial appointments,” he asserted.
Disappointment in Tinubu’s Government
El-Rufai expressed disappointment over the direction of the APC, stating that personal interests now take precedence over governance.
“I didn’t regret supporting Tinubu’s presidential ambition, but I feel disappointed,” he admitted.
He lamented that those who worked for the party’s success were neither recognized nor rewarded, adding that the government had become a business venture where influence and appointments come at a price.
“The APC abandoned the ideals that led to its formation. It has abandoned the people. Everyone is now pursuing personal interests and wealth,” he stated.
Key Appointments Allegedly Controlled by Lagos Cabal
El-Rufai further alleged that key appointments in the Tinubu administration were controlled by a select group from Lagos, making the party unrecognizable from its original vision.
“There is no justice. Those who worked for the party are not recognized, let alone rewarded. Appointments are now controlled by a select group from Lagos. The party is dead,” he declared.
Before making his decision to part ways with the APC, El-Rufai said he consulted several political figures, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, Tunde Bakare, Abdullahi Adamu, Adams Oshiomhole, and Bisi Akande.
