Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has voiced strong criticism of President Bola Tinubus appointment choices since taking office. Speaking on Arise TV on Monday, El-Rufai argued that Tinubus selections have been lopsided, favoring a close circle of alliesreferred to as his boys from Lagosrather 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 isnt appointing people because theyre Yoruba, but because theyre his loyalists, he clarified. Most of these picks dont even fairly represent the South-West, so lets 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. Theres no denying itthe appointments are unbalanced, he said. Its obvious, and theres real anger in the north about it. Still, he struck an optimistic note, suggesting its not too late for Tinubu to address the issue. The president can still fix this, he urged, pressing for corrective action to ease tensions.
