Presidency to El-Rufai: Being hurt doesn’t justify campaign against Tinubu government

By Kunle Sanni

The Presidency has acknowledged that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is hurt over his exclusion from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet but insists that his disappointment does not justify campaigning against the administration.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made this known during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday.

“I feel pity for El-Rufai for not being a minister in Tinubu’s cabinet,” Onanuga said. “You cannot continue to behave like a child whose bread was taken away and then keep crying. It is natural for him to feel hurt and bad that he was excluded, and the president even acknowledged his contributions in his birthday tribute.”

He further noted that while El-Rufai played a significant role in securing Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 elections, that should not be an excuse to work against the government.

“El-Rufai actually helped a lot in installing President Tinubu in 2023. But not being in this government doesn’t mean he should try to bring down the roof,” Onanuga stated.

He accused El-Rufai of allegedly campaigning against the Tinubu administration out of frustration, adding, “Nasir feels naturally hurt, and that’s why he is going everywhere campaigning against the president.”

Onanuga made these remarks in response to El-Rufai’s interview with Arise TV on Monday, where the former governor also addressed speculation surrounding his absence from President Tinubu’s ministerial cabinet.

The spokesman also likened El-Rufai’s actions to childish resentment, reiterating, “You cannot continue to behave like a child whose bread was taken away and then keep crying. It is natural for him to feel hurt and bad about being excluded, and even the President acknowledged his contributions in a birthday tribute to him.”