Joe Igbokwe, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has warned that the party risks losing a key figure in former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, whom he described as more intelligent, courageous, and capable than any current federal minister.
El-Rufai recently distanced himself from the APC, sharply criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
During a public event in Abuja, El-Rufai declared that he no longer identifies with the ruling party, accusing it of abandoning its foundational principles and failing to maintain internal democracy.
The former governor’s remarks have sparked a backlash, particularly from Tinubu loyalists, including Reno Omokri, who accused El-Rufai of being responsible for the violence in Kaduna during his tenure and labeled him a tyrant.
In light of the controversy, Igbokwe took to social media to remind the public of El-Rufai’s significance within the party.
He emphasized El-Rufai’s crucial role in securing Tinubu’s 2023 electoral victory and questioned why certain influential figures within the administration opposed El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination despite his contributions.
Igbokwe also highlighted El-Rufai’s key involvement, alongside former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, in opposing the controversial monetary policy of former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, which Igbokwe claims nearly derailed Tinubu’s election prospects.
Expressing frustration over El-Rufai’s ministerial rejection, Igbokwe criticized the Senate for allowing political interference to hinder the nomination.
He cautioned that the APC could ill afford to lose such a strategic and valuable figure and warned that sidelining El-Rufai’s expertise would be a grave error for the party.
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