The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has mocked former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, describing him as confused and someone who lacks political power to win a senatorial seat.
Bwala was speaking on Thursday on TVC while responding to a series of statements El-Rufai had made concerning national issues and the government in his state of Kaduna under Uba Sani.
El-Rufai who failed to make the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu has been very critical of the administration and has been reportedly holding meetings with some politicians opposed to the Tinubu administration in their bid to unify and win the presidency in 2027.
Although still a member of the ruling El-Rufai, the former minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) recently criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for “straying away from its core values”.
Speaking on Thursday, Bwala said efforts to unify certain elements in the APC with the opposition being led by former vice president, Atiku Abubakar are not causing any concern in the presidency.
He denied that the presidency has been jittery asking, “Who is jittery? The political opponents have no direction,” Bwala declared.
He added that, “There is no organised political party in Nigeria other than APC. Almost all opposition parties are trying to find their way.
“I don’t attack because I see that the position of Mr President is that of reconciliation,” Bwala explained.
He added, “In his 18 months in office, he has never reacted to anybody. He has never been seen being combative or aggressive against anybody.”
Bwala opined that he understands el-Rufai’s dilemma, adding that the former governor cannot achieve his mission by joining the opposition.
According to Bwala, el-Rufai only becomes a political heavyweight when he aligns with a “solid revolutionary” leader.
“El-Rufai, as he said, is still in APC. You treat him like a brother. I know his grandstanding. I know he is having some trouble finding a path,” he said.
“If you leave a governing party, which you have influence, and think that you can undertake a mission, you have to have a place that is working to do that.
“He does not have the capacity to make the president unsettled. No opposition party, even if combined, can make the president unsettled.
“Let me tell you something about my elder brother, el-Rufai, and whether we should be worried.
“There is a dynamic around el-Rufai. El-Rufai needed a solid revolutionary person to thrive. On his own, el-Rufai may not win the senate.
“He won governorship because of the Buhari factor and got re-elected because of the Buhari factor. If you leave him now to go and run for senate in Kaduna, he would not win.”
