Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s former ally criticises reforms

One of the architects of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 election victory has criticised the reforms being carried out by his government.

In an interview with Arise Tv, Nasir El-Rufai said the president’s decision to import food to lower prices would impoverish the country’s farmers.

In response, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said that even though El-Rufai had worked hard for Tinubu’s election, it was time for him to move on from the disappointment of not being made a minister.

The 65 year-old, one of the founding members of the ruling All Progressive Congress party, was tipped to be one of Tinubu’s most influential ministers before his nomination was declined by parliament.

”You don’t address food inflation by destroying domestic agriculture,” said El-Rufai.

“Food prices may be going down, but farmers are being impoverished because they are being made to compete with subsidised agricultural products from Europe and other countries.

“I have issues with many of them [Tinubu’s policies], and I’m in touch with many senior officials of the administration, and I give them my opinion privately,” he said.

The former minister also said his party had abandoned its founding values and internal democracy, warning he may leave if reforms are not made.

El-Rufai also said he had supported Tinubu in 2023 not because he was the best but because the 72 year-old was the candidate of his party.

“As a loyal party man, I was duty bound to support the party’s candidate,” he noted.

He also spoke about his nomination as a minister which was later turned down by the senate over a security report.

“The idea that the National Assembly rejected me is not true. The decision was made by the president himself. Either he changed his mind, or some other factors influenced him. Regardless, I have moved on,” El-Rufai said.

The politician, who has been seen with opposition figures recently didn’t rule out moving to another party before the next general elections in 2027.