Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has made a surprising turnaround, commending former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, despite previously criticizi
Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has made a surprising turnaround, commending former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, despite previously criticizing him as power-hungry and plagued by corruption allegations.
On Friday, February 21, El-Rufai remarked that the public tends to focus only on the negative aspects of the former vice president’s legacy.
“Nobody gives Alhaji Atiku Abubakar the credit for economic policymaking under the Obasanjo administration,” El-Rufai said.
El-Rufai’s recent praise for Atiku Abubakar contrasts sharply with his stance nine years ago when he openly criticized the former vice president.
In a 2016 Facebook post titled ‘Atiku Haunted by His Corruption Demons,’ El-Rufai accused Abubakar of engaging in a smear campaign built on lies and manipulation.
He described him as someone who practiced the dark arts of character assassination through his media machinery.
El-Rufai also challenged Abubakar to explain his alleged involvement in a corruption case that once led to his reported entry ban from the United States (U.S).
“Everyone is entitled to rehabilitation. But that often requires coming clean with the people,” El-Rufai said.
“Can Alhaji Atiku explain the findings in the report of the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations which detailed a pattern of wire transfers of more than USD 40m from offshore companies like Siemens into bank accounts controlled by him and one of his wives?
“The report detailing the US Senate findings is online, as one of four case histories of foreign corruption in the USA. Alhaji Atiku should tell a better tale of why he is avoiding America.”
El-Rufai’s newfound admiration for Atiku Abubakar marks a dramatic shift from his previous stance as a staunch critic.
This change comes in the wake of his fallout with President Bola Tinubu, who had nominated him for a ministerial position, only for the Senate to block his appointment.
In January, El-Rufai openly criticized his own party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of being controlled by a single individual and describing the state of governance and opposition in Nigeria as a national emergency.
He further blamed the country’s challenges on weak leadership, stressing the urgent need for political parties to elevate their standards to ensure the emergence of competent leaders.
“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today,” he said.
