El-Rufai Ridicules Omokri Over Criticism of Tinubu’s Administration
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has responded to attacks from former presidential media aide Reno Omokri, following a backlash between Omokri and supporters of President Bola Tinubu.
The controversy began when El-Rufai shared an article by columnist Farooq Kperogi, accusing President Tinubu of engaging in tribal favoritism by filling key positions in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with individuals from his ethnic group. The article, titled “Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC,” critiqued what Kperogi described as a “relentless Yorubacentric take-over” of the NNPC, echoing similar criticisms of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments of Northerners.
El-Rufai’s support of the article triggered criticism from the presidency and pro-Tinubu figures, including Omokri. In response to the article, El-Rufai posted on X, emphasizing that “two wrongs do not make a right” and that “sensible inclusion always trumps arrogant exclusion.”
This sparked a rebuttal from former Senator Shehu Sani, who accused El-Rufai of being silent when Buhari made similar appointments of his kinsmen. Sani also criticized El-Rufai’s governance in Kaduna, calling it “apartheid” for marginalizing Southern Kaduna. Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s media aide, then responded, defending the president against El-Rufai’s remarks.
Omokri took to social media, attacking El-Rufai over his past admission of using government funds to pay herdsmen. He criticized El-Rufai for his hypocrisy, stating that while El-Rufai had used public money for controversial purposes, he now criticized the current administration’s spending on infrastructure.
In his counter-response, El-Rufai posted old statements by Omokri where he had campaigned against a “drug baron in Aso Rock,” insinuating that Omokri had been inconsistent in his political positions. The exchange between El-Rufai and Omokri highlights the ongoing political rift and debate over inclusivity, appointments, and governance in Nigeria.
