El-Rufai Slams Tinubu, APC Govt as ‘Urban Bandits’, Regrets Supporting President
Abuja, Nigeria – Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, labelling them as “urban bandits” and expressing regret for his role in their rise to power.
Speaking at the 60th birthday lecture of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, in Abuja, Mr El-Rufai controversially stated that he and others had allowed “a bandit” to become Nigeria’s leader, a clear reference to President Tinubu, whom he significantly campaigned for in the 2023 election.
The former governor’s remarks come two years after he was a prominent figure in President Tinubu’s campaign and follow his fall out with the President after his ministerial nomination was not confirmed by the Senate.
Mr. El-Rufai further described the current administration as a government of “bandits,” specifying “not the ones in the bushes but the ones in the urban areas called the urban bandits.”
Warning about the state of the nation, El-Rufai declared, “Nigeria is in its biggest trouble since 1914, and that is why we are together working and conspiring to build a coalition to take Nigeria back on track because it is off track.” He did not hold back in criticising President Tinubu’s leadership, calling him “incompetent” and someone who “only knows to grab and snatch power,” according to the provided text.
Also speaking at the event, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi echoed sentiments of national hardship and hinted at a potential opposition challenge to the current government.
Asserting the widespread economic hardship, Amaechi said, “We are all hungry. All of us are. If you are not hungry, I am.” He added a direct challenge to the opposition: “So, for us, the opposition, if you want us to remove the man in power -Tinubu -we can remove him from this power.”
Amaechi made these comments in the presence of El-Rufai and other opposition figures reportedly discussing strategies for a coalition aimed at the 2027 general election. He drew parallels with past student activism against military rulers, suggesting a united effort could achieve similar results regardless of regional or religious differences.
