Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, responded fiercely to Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, following Omokri’s criticism of El-Rufai over a rail project funding issue.
In a tweet on Sunday, Omokri had accused El-Rufai of frustration for not being appointed a minister under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He questioned El-Rufai’s criticism of the federal government’s contribution to the Lagos rail project, comparing it to the funding of a $2 billion railway project in Niger under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
El-Rufai swiftly fired back, calling Omokri “a political mercenary retained by any paying person or government” and referencing a past allegation involving Omokri’s use of an American woman’s son’s name, Wendell Simlin, in an attempt to link former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Lamido Sanusi to Boko Haram.
Omokri’s tweet had drawn attention to what he viewed as inconsistencies in El-Rufai’s positions, citing the lack of protest when Nigeria funded the rail project in Niger.
He pointed out that Niger’s GDP was significantly smaller than Lagos’ economic contribution, making the latter’s rail project equally deserving of federal funding.
In his response, El-Rufai shared photos of Omokri protesting against Tinubu’s election and making critical remarks about him. He referred to Omokri’s political tactics, adding that Omokri’s “lifecycle” included serving as a mercenary for various governments.
The exchange between El-Rufai and Omokri sparked reactions across the political sphere, with some All Progressives Congress (APC) members expressing concern over El-Rufai’s comments.
One prominent figure, Senator Shehu Sani, criticized El-Rufai for hypocrisy, accusing him of failing to speak out against alleged nepotism during Buhari’s presidency.
Sani pointed out El-Rufai’s silence on issues such as the marginalization of Southern Kaduna during the previous administration.
“Some people were silent when Buhari was filling political offices with his kinsmen,” Sani remarked.
“Let’s not make reference to the nepotism that marginalised Southern Kaduna for eight years. Kaduna was an apartheid state for eight years.”
While Sani acknowledged that anyone could critique Tinubu’s government, he suggested El-Rufai lacked moral standing to do so due to his own past actions.
The political back-and-forth highlights the ongoing tensions within Nigerian politics, particularly concerning issues of governance, political appointments, and regional dynamics.
