Minister tackles El-Rufai, says he’s sinking politician

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Ata, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following his recent criticism of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Ata described El-Rufai as a “sinking politician” lashing out in frustration after failing to secure a ministerial appointment.

In a statement signed by Ata’s aide, Seyi Olorunsola, and titled “Malam Nasir El-Rufai: The Dance of a Sinking Politician,” the minister claimed that the former Kaduna governor has not always been far from controversies.

” His tenure as the Minister of the FCT under the President Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration was marked by contentious policies and an abrasive leadership style.

“This trend continued throughout his political journey, from his days in the opposition during the formative years of the APC to his tenure as a two-term Governor of Kaduna State. It is, therefore, unsurprising that in the present dispensation, while President Tinubu remains focused on tackling the multi-faceted challenges facing Nigeria, El-Rufai has chosen to embark on yet another round of political mischief,” the statement read.

The minister claimed El-Rufai’s recent outbursts were fueled by personal disappointment.

“Feeling entitled to a role in President Tinubu’s government, he was unable to pass the necessary security clearance, leading to his rejection by the Senate. Since then, he has carried himself like a man scorned, unleashing a barrage of unfounded criticisms and engaging in political brinkmanship.

“His recent defection from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is nothing more than an act of desperation — an attempt to remain relevant in Nigeria’s political discourse. However, this move was long anticipated, given his history of political opportunism and self-serving maneuvers,” the statement added.

El-Rufai recently alleged that President Tinubu was fueling divisions within opposition parties to consolidate power ahead of the next election cycle, a claim the minister swiftly dismissed.

“Mallam El-Rufai had recently claimed, as reported in the media, that the President was responsible for the division and crisis in the opposition parties of PDP, SDP, and LP in order to gain political capital heading into the next election cycle. This assertion, to say the least, is the height of ignorance on the part of Mallam El-Rufai about who President Tinubu is.

“Here is a man who has been loyal to his political base and had never been known to decamp from his political roots but instead formed coalitions with other legacy parties to create the APC.

“To think that such a man, who masterminded the upstaging of an incumbent party in 2015 and went on to work with then-President Buhari to ensure stability in the APC for those eight years before eventually becoming President through hard work and persuasive power, would now seek to cause division in other parties to his own disadvantage is simply illogical.

“Conversely, Mallam El-Rufai was a factor of division in the PDP before the party unraveled and lost the Presidential elections in 2015. It is, therefore, uncharitable for El-Rufai to claim that President Tinubu would be responsible for the crisis in the opposition party,” the statement continued.

Ata reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s pressing issues, insisting that the government would not be distracted by political detractors.

“The APC and the Tinubu administration will not be swayed by El-Rufai’s antics. We urge Nigerians to remain focused on the progress being made under President Tinubu’s leadership and to disregard the distractions posed by political actors whose time has passed.

“The government will continue to deliver on its promises, ensuring that the mandate given by the Nigerian people is fully realized,” the statement concluded.