BREAKING: Northern Group Carpets El-Rufai over Attacks on Tinubu, Ribadu: “You Have No Moral Right”

On Wednesday, February 26, the Northern Patriots Forum (NPF), criticised the former governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, for attacking President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his administration.

Northern group criticises El-Rufai for attacking Tinubu, NSA

El-Rufai had, during his interview on Arise Television on Monday, February 24, accused President Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of orchestrating his failed ministerial nomination.

The embattled former governor specifically stated that it was President Tinubu who did not want him in his cabinet, and not any security report, while also accusing the NSA of fighting him due to his (Ribadu) presidential ambition in 2031.

In a statement made available to Legit.ng on Wednesday, signed by its Coordinator, Captain Monday Ishakwu, the Northern Patriot Forum said El-Rufai lacked the moral right to attack President Tinubu in such a manner, having failed woefully in his 8-year administration as Kaduna governor.

The Forum acknowledged that, President Tinubu’s outings as president in less than two years, have recorded more trophies than the 8 year’s misrule of Governor El-Rufai.

Northern group speaks on El-Rufai’s failed ministerial appointment

The group warned Mallam El-Rufai, urging him to guide his utterances.

The Forum opined that it was his mouth and conducts as Kaduna state governor that made him unpopular politically in the north, and discredited him nationally and internationally, including his failed ministerial ambition.

“President Tinubu actually wanted him to join his cabinet. He actually nominated him and sincerely reserved a lucrative portfolio, if he had scaled through the Senate screening.

“But multiple security reports from security agencies indicted him and suggested he would be a ‘diplomatic liability’, should he eventually emerged a cabinet member of President Tinubu.

“The agencies cited his controversial past statements and actions. One of such incidents was his 2019 threat to European Union election observers, where he warned, ‘We are waiting for the person who will come and intervene. They will go back in body bags’.

“I’m sure the President too would have regretted it, if El-Rufai had eventually made the list, because shortly after that, his own State House of Assembly indicted him of mismanaging a whooping N423bn under 8 years. Harboring such a person in your cabinet would have brought a dent on the integrity of Mr. President and a question mark on his anti-corruption stance.

“Now, he is driven by envy and jealous of the Tinubu’s administration’s laudable reforms, and he is pained that all these great achievements could be recorded in less than 2 years, without him as a Minister.

“He blames everyone for what his mouth has cost him. It is either he is blaming the Kaduna Governor, or he is blaming Ribadu, or Senator Shehu Sanni, or he is blaming President Tinubu. What an obsession,” the statement added.

El-Rufai accuses Tinubu of appointing his ‘boys’

In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Nasir El-Rufai criticised President Bola Tinubu over his appointments.

El-Rufai accused President Tinubu of appointing his boys from Lagos state into political offices since assuming office.

He said there is still time for President Tinubu to correct it, but there is palpable anger in the north.