In a heated political exchange, Farouk Aliyu, former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and founding member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), has branded former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, an “opportunist” driven solely by personal gain.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Friday, Farouk took aim at El-Rufai’s recent political maneuvers and verbal attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. El-Rufai, once a key northern supporter of Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid, has since turned critic—labeling Tinubu’s administration as the worst Nigeria has experienced and defecting to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he is now leading calls for a coalition to unseat the president in 2027.
Farouk, however, dismissed El-Rufai’s criticisms as being rooted in personal disappointment, suggesting that his defection and outbursts stem from not receiving a ministerial appointment in Tinubu’s government.
“If Nasir had been appointed minister, he’d be the one leading attacks on others today. But because he was left out, he suddenly sees Tinubu as corrupt and incompetent,” Farouk stated. “This is the same man who said ‘whether northerners like it or not, it must be Tinubu’. Now, he’s calling for Tinubu’s removal. That’s not patriotism — that’s opportunism.”
He accused El-Rufai of abandoning the same APC that gave him an eight-year platform as governor, warning that such inconsistency threatens national unity.
“This isn’t about the people. It’s about personal interest. El-Rufai is projecting his own frustration onto the system. The political elite, of which he is a part, often screams the loudest when they’re left out,” he added.
Farouk emphasized that despite being a long-time supporter of former President Muhammadu Buhari, he never turned against him, even when overlooked for appointments. He contrasted his loyalty with what he described as El-Rufai’s hypocrisy and political self-centeredness.
In conclusion, Farouk charged the public to look beyond political grandstanding and recognize what he sees as a clear case of personal ambition disguising itself as national concern.
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