“Stop Crying Over Spilled Milk” – Tinubu Mocks El-Rufai

The President Bola Tinubu has hit back at former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent remarks concerning his exclusion from his administration.

Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Monday, El-Rufai refuted claims that the National Assembly rejected his ministerial nomination, insisting that Tinubu simply “changed his mind.”

According to him, there was no security report barring his appointment, contrary to speculations.

He revealed that he had attached certain conditions to his nomination, which may have influenced the President’s decision.

“Please don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me, they had nothing to do with it. The President didn’t want me in his cabinet,” El-Rufai said.

In a swift response, Tinubu who spoke through his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed El-Rufai’s claims, urging him to “move on.”

Speaking on Channels TV on Tuesday, Onanuga described the former governor’s grievances as resentment over being sidelined in Tinubu’s government.

“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. It has been a long time since the ministers were appointed, and I think it is time for him to move on,” Onanuga stated.

Mocking El-Rufai’s reaction, the Presidential aide said, “You cannot continue being like a child as if someone stole your bread. He is showing the resentment of a man being left out of a moving train.”

Onanuga further stressed that while El-Rufai played a role in Tinubu’s election victory, his dissatisfaction with the government was personal and did not reflect reality.

“The President, in his birthday tribute to El-Rufai, acknowledged his contribution to the party. He actually helped a lot in installing the President. But his exclusion is the reason he is going about campaigning against Tinubu,” he added.