Onanuga tells El-Rufai to move on from snub
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has urged former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to move on from his ministerial disappointment, advising him to stop behaving immaturely.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Onanuga expressed sympathy for El-Rufai, who still seemed upset over his failed ministerial nomination, even months after President Tinubu’s cabinet was formed.
“As a person, I feel for the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. He seems hurt that he was not appointed as a minister,” Onanuga said. “It’s been a long time since the cabinet was formed in August 2023. I think it’s time for him to move on. He can’t keep acting like a child, as if someone stole his bread.”
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El-Rufai was originally nominated by Tinubu for a ministerial role but was dropped after the Senate declined to confirm his appointment due to security concerns. Since then, he has largely stayed away from the administration’s activities, only recently voicing concerns about the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In his first public comment on the issue, El-Rufai, during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, revealed that it was President Tinubu, not the National Assembly, who rejected his ministerial nomination. He explained that despite the President’s initial request for him to stay close after leaving office, Tinubu ultimately changed his mind about the appointment.
“I had my plans after leaving office and told President Tinubu from the start that while I agreed to support him, I made it clear I didn’t want anything in return. Politics in Nigeria is often about ‘What do I get for supporting you?’” El-Rufai said.
He continued, “I’m not in politics for personal gain. I’ve built my own success and had my private plans after eight years in Kaduna. I was burnt out and needed a break.”
El-Rufai explained that after the President publicly requested him to set aside his plans, the two parties eventually agreed that he would be nominated as a minister with certain conditions. However, he claimed that either the President changed his mind or something else influenced the decision.
“Don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me. They had nothing to do with it. The President simply didn’t want me in his cabinet anymore. He changed his mind. Whatever the reason, I don’t care, and I’ve moved on,” El-Rufai said.
He also stated, “Since then, I’ve not spoken or commented on the government, but as a founding member of the APC, it’s my right to ask why the party isn’t functioning as it should.”
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