Nasir El-Rufai, a former Kaduna State Governor and one-time Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has criticised the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu for lacking quality.
He stated that the cabinet lacks the necessary competence to face the country’s concerns.
El-Rufai told Arise News on Monday that he anticipated Tinubu to emulate the technocratic and inclusive governance model he implemented in Lagos as state governor from 1999 to 2007.
He was, however, disappointed that the president had instead appointed a bloated and underperforming cabinet.
“Look at his cabinet—it’s a joke. It is the largest in Nigeria’s history, and maybe only five of them can be called real ministers.
“In my time as a minister 20 years ago, we had individuals of the calibre of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili.
“Who do you see in this cabinet that fits that profile? There is simply no quality. We brought a tragedy upon Nigeria,” El-Rufai said during the live interview.
The former governor recognised that he shared responsibility for the “tragedy” that he believed the Tinubu administration had become.
He stated that his support for the president in the 2023 elections was based on his belief in Tinubu’s previous achievements in Lagos, but that belief has since been shaken.
“I supported him because I believed in his Lagos legacy. He was inclusive. He brought in professionals like Yemi Osinbajo and Wale Edun from the private sector. He appointed Igbos and Hausas in key roles, and he got things done. But now… this?
“I feel like I owe Nigeria a duty to correct this mistake. I am 65 now, approaching retirement, but I cannot rest knowing that I helped bring in a government that is hurting Nigerians.
“I will do all I can, with others, to reverse this trajectory. If we leave this unchecked, Nigeria will be destroyed,” El-Rufai declared.
He further said that, although belonging to the same political party, he and Tinubu never had a close friendship.
He attributed the disparity to his commitment to former President Muhammadu Buhari, with whom he had a closer relationship.
“I was never close to Tinubu. In the party, I was a ‘Buhari boy’. Tinubu had his boys.
“The person I connected with was Baba Bisi Akande. I served as his deputy national secretary.
“So Tinubu never liked me. But when he won the ticket, I set my personal feelings aside and worked hard to deliver Kaduna for him. That was my duty as a party man”, El-Rufai said.
