The Nigerian presidency has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over his public complaints regarding his failed ministerial nomination, advising him to “stop crying like a baby whose bread was stolen” and move on.
Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made the remark on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, which SaharaReporters monitored.
“As a person, I think I will pity the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. He feels hurt that he was not made a minister… I think it is time for him to move on,” Onanuga said.
“You cannot continue to behave like a child, as if somebody stole your bread and you are crying over spilled milk. It is natural for you to feel hurt and bad about being excluded. As the President acknowledged in his birthday message to him, Nasir actually played a significant role in installing President Tinubu. However, his absence from the cabinet does not mean he should try to bring down the house,” he added.
El-Rufai, in an explosive interview with Arise News on Monday night, accused President Tinubu—not the National Assembly—of orchestrating his exclusion from the cabinet.
“Please don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me. The National Assembly has nothing to do with it. The President did not want me in his cabinet,” El-Rufai stated.
Despite his pivotal role in Tinubu’s election, he claimed he was deliberately sidelined. He also alleged that Tinubu initially pleaded with him to serve in his government but later reneged on their agreement.
“After two months of negotiations, we finally agreed that he would nominate me as a minister, and then there were certain conditions I attached. I think, along the line, either the President changed his mind or something else happened,” he said.
While El-Rufai denied holding personal grudges against the Tinubu administration, he criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for its internal management, warning that unresolved party issues could deepen existing cracks.
The rift between Tinubu and El-Rufai has been simmering for months. While Tinubu’s allies claim the former Kaduna governor was dropped due to security concerns raised by the National Assembly, El-Rufai’s camp believes he was politically outmaneuvered despite his role in Tinubu’s victory.
His exclusion has also fueled speculation about his next political move, with rumors suggesting a possible alignment with anti-Tinubu forces ahead of the 2027 elections.
