Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has clapped back at the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication, Daniel Bwala, over his response to El-Rufai’s criticisms of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Bwala had taken to his social media page to slam El-Rufai, accusing him of attempting to unseat President Bola Tinubu’s government.

He expressed concern over El-Rufai’s statements and actions, stating that the former governor’s remarks were not driven by a need for vengeance rather than patriotism.

Bwala wrote, “Still my senior brother @elrufai, I am sure you don’t need anyone to tell you about my respect and admiration for you, not just for your brilliance, but also as one of the brightest we have from the northern extraction. I am not stating it for the first time today, and you know that.

“My worry, however, is the motive behind your statements and actions; they are not borne out of patriotism but a need for vengeance. The opposition sees that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment.

“With respect, I am not a latter-day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our roles in his emergence as the candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 elections. And before then, whilst you were from the CPC extraction of the APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party, amongst other things, to protect the interest of Asiwaju, whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics.

“I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think are your grievances like the dignified man that you are.

“Our party, APC, as of today remains the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country. So if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party.

“Please, senior, come home; you have toiled all nights.”

In response, El-Rufai stated that he had informed President Tinubu 22 years ago about his disinterest in occupying any position in his future government.

He also pointed out that he would have criticised Tinubu’s government even if he had a ministerial position due to the issues within the party he helped found.

El-Rufai said: “Good morning, @BwalaDaniel. I was a cabinet minister 22 years ago, and I was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government.

“The pathetic manner in which all of you latter-day converts to the Tinubu government make an issue of something that I never wanted in the first place is perhaps a reflection of the level of your moral flexibility.

“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I would say or do the same regarding the tragedy within a party I helped to found and the government that emerged from it—first in private sessions with those concerned, and then publicly if no remedial actions were taken. Go and check my public service record from 1998.

“I am only responding to you because I still think you are a decent person who may need a job, and not in the class of Wendell Simlin and that Kaduna pretender whom our voters retired in 2019—these clowns are political mercenaries who receive humongous monthly stipends from the security vote to be the first to jump on X and other platforms to defend everything the Asiwaju government does or fails to do, no matter how indefensible it may be.

“Enjoy your Special Adviser position, my brother, but remember that allegiance to God and country comes first in the human scale of accountability, before any person or authority.” – @elrufai