“El-Rufai Deserved To Be Adequately Compensated” – APC Chieftain, Shittu

The former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has expressed disappointment with the way former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai was treated prior to his departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I don’t like the way we treated Nasir El-Rufai because those who do well ought to be adequately compensated,” Shittu remarked on Sunday.

Shittu emphasized that El-Rufai, a prominent figure in President Bola Tinubu’s campaign, deserved to be rewarded for his contributions and support.

He argued that the former governor, who has since become one of the vocal critics of Tinubu’s administration, had every right to be dissatisfied due to the lack of compensation for his efforts.

“He did very well and exceptional,” Shittu noted during an appearance on Channels TV. “How many people played the same role as El-Rufai among those noise makers? I don’t think it’s fair.”

Shittu further emphasized, “So, El-Rufai has a special case. In the entire political spectrum of APC, he’s the only one who I’m convinced has a good case because I saw him as a leading figure in the pro-Tinubu agitation for the presidency.”

El-Rufai made headlines last month when he announced his departure from the APC to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

His nomination for a ministerial position was rejected by the Senate, which cited a report from the State Security Service (SSS) as the reason for withholding confirmation.

“He did very well. He was promised some position, but when that did not come, I expected that the government would still bring him on board one way or the other,” Shittu stated.

“To just leave him… I don’t think we have done well in handling his case. Apart from him, I don’t see anyone who had any justification.”

El-Rufai’s exit from the APC marked a significant shift in his political career, as he publicly criticized the party, particularly Tinubu’s administration and the members of his cabinet.

In addition to his break from the ruling party, El-Rufai has also formed a political coalition with opposition leader the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar.

The two, along with several northern political figures, recently visited former President Muhammadu Buhari, sparking discussions of a potential alignment against Tinubu as the 2027 elections approach.