Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has voiced strong criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s appointment choices since taking office. Speaking on Arise TV on Monday, El-Rufai argued that Tinubu’s selections have been lopsided, favoring a close circle of allies—referred to as his “boys” from Lagos—rather than reflecting a broader representation. He emphasized that the appointments fail to adequately span even the South-West region, let alone the country as a whole.
El-Rufai dismissed claims that the imbalance stems from a deliberate Yoruba bias, urging people to stop mischaracterizing the issue. “The president isn’t appointing people because they’re Yoruba, but because they’re his loyalists,” he clarified. “Most of these picks don’t even fairly represent the South-West, so let’s not confuse the facts.” He cautioned against scapegoating Yorubas, drawing a parallel to how northerners have been unfairly judged for past military misdeeds, and called for accountability to be pinned on individuals instead.
Highlighting growing discontent, El-Rufai noted that the north is simmering with frustration over the skewed appointments. “There’s no denying it—the appointments are unbalanced,” he said. “It’s obvious, and there’s real anger in the north about it.” Still, he struck an optimistic note, suggesting it’s not too late for Tinubu to address the issue. “The president can still fix this,” he urged, pressing for corrective action to ease tensions.
