The Northern Patriots Forum (NPF) has strongly criticized former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for his recent remarks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Capt. Monday Ishakwu, on Wednesday, the group accused El-Rufai of political hypocrisy, stated that he failed as a governor and has no moral right to attack the Tinubu administration.
El-Rufai, in an interview on Arise Television, had accused President Tinubu and Ribadu of orchestrating his failed ministerial nomination, alleging that the NSA was working against him due to his rumored presidential ambition in 2031.
Reacting, the forum stated that El-Rufai’s exclusion from Tinubu’s cabinet was due to multiple security reports that labeled him a “diplomatic liability” due to his past controversial remarks and actions.
“President Tinubu actually wanted him in his cabinet and even reserved a lucrative portfolio for him. However, multiple security reports indicted him and warned that his inclusion would dent the President’s anti-corruption stance,” the statement read.
The group further referenced El-Rufai’s past controversies, including his 2019 threat to European Union election observers, his indictment by the Kaduna State House of Assembly over alleged mismanagement of ₦423 billion, and his alleged role in the 2015 Zaria Shiite crisis.
The forum also accused El-Rufai of fueling religious intolerance, citing his past remarks about Christians and allegations of supporting violent herdsmen in Southern Kaduna.
“He blames everyone for what his mouth has cost him—Kaduna Governor, Ribadu, Shehu Sani, and now President Tinubu. He has forgotten that his own words and actions have made him unpopular both nationally and internationally,” the statement added.
The group warned El-Rufai to tread carefully, insisting that his past actions continue to haunt his political future.
