Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of gross underperformance and worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians since assuming office on May 29, 2023.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, El-Rufai described Tinubu’s cabinet as overbloated and lacking in competence and innovation.
“Look at his cabinet—it’s a joke. It’s the largest in Nigeria’s history, and maybe only five of them can be called real ministers,” he said. “In my time as a minister 20 years ago, we had people like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili. Who in this cabinet matches that standard?”
El-Rufai, who admitted to supporting Tinubu’s emergence as president, expressed deep regret, describing the administration as a national tragedy.
“I believed in his Lagos legacy and his inclusiveness—appointing professionals and people from all regions. But this? This is not what I supported,” he lamented.
The former governor also revealed plans to join a coalition of opposition leaders determined to unseat Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
“I feel a responsibility to correct this mistake. I may be nearing retirement, but I won’t sit back while Nigeria suffers. If we don’t act now, the country could be destroyed,” he warned.