According to the Daily Post Newspaper, the presidency has responded sharply to recent remarks made by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, who openly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s government.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, lashed out at El-Rufai, accusing him of exhibiting what he described as “a classic case of small man complex.”
El-Rufai had stirred controversy during a conversation on Arise Television, where he asserted that President Tinubu’s chances of winning re-election in 2027 were bleak unless a miracle occurred.
He pointed to a nationwide survey conducted by his political associates, which allegedly revealed overwhelming dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s leadership—especially among respondents in the South-East and northern regions of the country, with an overall disapproval rate of 91%.
The same poll, according to El-Rufai, indicated that even in Lagos—President Tinubu’s political stronghold—78% of participants expressed discontent with the current administration.
Reacting to these claims, Onanuga referenced a section of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s autobiographical series My Watch, where Obasanjo offered a deeply critical assessment of El-Rufai’s character.
Quoting from the book, Onanuga highlighted Obasanjo’s remarks about El-Rufai’s reputation for undermining others, stating that although he once acknowledged El-Rufai’s abilities, he was troubled by his pattern of inconsistent loyalty and self-serving behavior.
The quoted passage described El-Rufai as someone who has shown a troubling disregard for truth, often targeting associates and even family members with harsh criticism and betrayal, including an incident involving an uncle who had cared for him like a father figure.
Obasanjo’s account, which was originally published in 2014, labeled El-Rufai as someone afflicted by what he termed the “small man syndrome,” reinforcing Onanuga’s jab.
It’s worth recalling that El-Rufai served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under Obasanjo’s presidency between 2003 and 2007.
In recent months, El-Rufai has become increasingly active in mobilizing opposition forces aimed at challenging Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Back in March, he formally left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared his affiliation with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), signaling a clear shift in his political allegiance.
Hear him speak: “I shuddered when I heard the story of what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force, who is senior to him in age.”
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