Daniel Bwala, special adviser to the president on policy communication, says Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, does not have the capacity to “unsettle” President Bola Tinubu.
Bwala spoke on Thursday during an interviewwith TVC News. He added that Tinubu is not losing sleep over el-Rufai’s relentless criticisms of his administration.
BACKGROUND
El-Rufai has been aiming digs at some members of the Tinubu administration.
The former minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) recently criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for “straying away from its core values”, stating that he no longer recognises his political party.
Bwala had asked el-Rufai if his take on the APC would have been different if he were a member of Tinubu’s cabinet.
Reacting to Bwala’s remarks, el-Rufai said he would not hold back from criticising the party even if he were handed a role in the Tinubu administration.
‘ON HIS OWN, EL-RUFAI IS UNELECTABLE’
Asked if the presidency is jittery about el-Rufai’s comments and the regrouping of opposition politicians, the spokesperson said Tinubu is not bothered about what the opposition is up to.
Bwala said the disposition of the president has always been conciliatory.
“Who is jittery? The political opponents have no direction. There is no organised political party in Nigeria other than APC. Almost all opposition parties are trying to find their way,” Bwala said.
“I don’t attack because I see that the position of Mr President is that of reconciliation. In his 18 months in office, he has never reacted to anybody. He has never been seen being combative or aggressive against anybody.”
The presidential spokesperson said he understands el-Rufai’s dilemma, adding that the former governor cannot achieve his mission by joining the opposition.
According to Bwala, el-Rufai only becomes a political heavyweight when he aligns with a “solid revolutionary” leader.
“El-Rufai, as he said, is still in APC. You treat him like a brother. I know his grandstanding. I know he is having some trouble finding a path,” he said.
“If you leave a governing party, which you have influence, and think that you can undertake a mission, you have to have a place that is working to do that.
“He does not have the capacity to make the president unsettled. No opposition party, even if combined, can make the president unsettled.
“Let me tell you something about my elder brother, el-Rufai, and whether we should be worried.
“There is a dynamic around el-Rufai. El-Rufai needed a solid revolutionary person to thrive. On his own, el-Rufai may not win the senate.
“He won governorship because of the Buhari factor and got re-elected because of the Buhari factor. If you leave him now to go and run for senate in Kaduna, he would not win.”(The Cable)
