January 30, (THEWILL) – The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has urged former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to halt his vengeance mission and returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying his criticism of the Bola Tinubu’s government are not borne out of patriotism, but the need for vengeance.
Bwala spoke in response to El-Rufai’s earlier remarks, where he said he would have criticised President Bola Tinubu if he were in the president’s cabinet.
“I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show. You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today. The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved, but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening”, El-Rufai said at a national conference in Abuja on Monday,
However, Bwala criticised El-Rufai, interrogating his integrity by probing his view when he asked if his opinion about the APC would have changed if he had remained in Tinubu’s government.
“My senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation that you now want to unseat”, Bwala asked.
But El-Rufai, responding to Bwala on Thursday morning, said he would have said and done the same if he were a member of Tinubu’s administration. He went down memory lane and reminded Bwala, who was until his recent appointment by Tinubu an ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, that he began his public service in 1998.
“Good morning, @BwalaDaniel. I was a cabinet minister 22 years ago and was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government. If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I would have said or done the same on the tragedy within a party I was a founder of, and the government that emerged from it — first in private sessions with those concerned, and then go public if no remedial actions are taken. Go and check my public service record from 1998″, he said.
Bwala, who is also a former spokesman for Atiku Abubakar 2023 presidential campaign organisation, also replied to El-Rufai, questioning the motive behind his actions and statements.
Bwala, in a second statement on X on Thursday, said: “Still my senior brother @elrufai, I am sure you don’t need anyone to tell you about my respect and admiration for you, not just for your brilliance, but also as one of the brightest we have from the northern extraction. I am not stating it for the first time today and you know that.
“My worry, however, is the motive behind your statements and actions; they are not borne out of patriotism, but the need for vengeance. The opposition sees that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment.
“With respect, I am not a latter-day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our roles in his emergence as candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
“And before then, while you were from the CPC extraction of APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party, amongst other things, to protect the interest of Asiwaju, whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics.
“Our party, APC, as of today, remains the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country. So if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party. Please senior, come home; you have toiled all nights.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
