Tinubu’s Minister, Ata: El-Rufai’s Defection to SDP Is a Desperate Move, His Political Career Is Over

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Ata, criticized former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent remarks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ata described El-Rufai’s defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as an act of desperation.

In a statement signed by his aide, Seyi Olorunsola, Ata said, “From time immemorial, Mallam El-Rufai has been a well-known rabble-rouser, constantly embroiled in controversy.”

He recalled El-Rufai’s tenure as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, describing it as a period marked by contentious policies. He argued that this trend continued throughout El-Rufai’s political career, from his role in the opposition during the formative years of the APC to his time as a two-term governor of Kaduna State.

“It is, therefore, unsurprising that in the present dispensation, while President Tinubu remains focused on tackling the multi-faceted challenges facing Nigeria, El-Rufai has chosen to embark on yet another round of political mischief,” Ata said.

Ata also criticized El-Rufai’s tenure as governor, pointing to his handling of insecurity in Kaduna State.

“As Governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai presided over an era of unprecedented insecurity, where ethnic and sectarian violence reached alarming levels. Under his watch, Kaduna recorded some of the highest fatalities linked to communal conflicts and terrorist activities,” he said.

He recalled a controversial statement by El-Rufai: “Infamously, he once admitted to making payments to foreign Fulani militias, a statement that remains a dark stain on his record and raises questions about his role in fostering peace and stability.”

According to Ata, El-Rufai’s leadership style was divisive, with policies that alienated minority groups and worsened communal tensions in the state.

“El-Rufai’s latest political outburst stems from his personal disappointment over his failure to secure a ministerial position in the current administration. Feeling entitled to a role in President Tinubu’s government, he was unable to pass the necessary security clearance, leading to his rejection by the Senate. Since then, he has carried himself like a man scorned, unleashing a barrage of unfounded criticisms and engaging in political brinkmanship,” he said.

Describing El-Rufai’s move to SDP as opportunistic, Ata stated, “His recent defection from the APC to the SDP is nothing more than an act of desperation—an attempt to remain relevant in Nigeria’s political discourse. However, this move was long anticipated, given his history of political opportunism and self-serving maneuvers.”

Ata also dismissed El-Rufai’s claim that President Tinubu was responsible for the crisis within opposition parties, including the PDP, SDP, and LP, ahead of the next election cycle.

“This assertion, to say the least, is the height of ignorance on the part of Mallam El-Rufai about who President Tinubu is,” he said. “Here is a man who has been loyal to his political base and has never been known to decamp from his political roots but instead formed coalitions with other legacy parties to create the APC.”

Ata argued that President Tinubu’s political track record stands in stark contrast to El-Rufai’s.

“To think that such a man, who masterminded the upstaging of an incumbent party in 2015 and went on to work with then-President Buhari to ensure stability in the APC for those eight years before eventually becoming President through hard work and persuasive power, would now seek to cause division in other parties to his own disadvantage is simply illogical,” he said.

He further claimed that El-Rufai played a divisive role in the PDP before the party lost power in 2015.

“It is, therefore, uncharitable for El-Rufai to claim that President Tinubu would be responsible for the crisis in the opposition party,” Ata said.

He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s focus on governance, dismissing El-Rufai’s attacks as distractions.

“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing Nigeria’s critical challenges. While detractors like El-Rufai seek to distract and derail progress, the government and its supporters remain undeterred,” Ata said.

He concluded by declaring that El-Rufai’s political career was effectively over.

“His political career, which has been marked by opportunism and a penchant for controversy, is practically over, and his recent actions are nothing more than the last gasps of a politician grasping at straws,” he said.

Ata urged Nigerians to disregard El-Rufai’s criticisms.

“The APC and the Tinubu administration will not be swayed by El-Rufai’s antics. We urge Nigerians to remain focused on the progress being made and to disregard the distractions posed by political actors whose time has passed,” he added.

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