Former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nasir Ahmad El Rufai’s relentless criticism of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to have become a regular feature of some Nigerian media in recent times.

What is so interesting, in this, is not the substance of his diatribe which is mostly vituperative but the virulence with which he had always responded to reactions to his criticisms by Presidential and PDP aides. It is quite obvious that he thinks of himself as irrepressively and unapologetically committed to bringing down the Jonathan government and its party platform at all costs.

Since he became the protem Deputy National Secretary of the newly registered All Progressive Congress (APC), some weeks ago, he has intensified his vicious campaign to discredit the government and the PDP, apparently, in a bid to show that his party, which is yet to find its feet, can produce a viable alternative to the present administration. Nigeria is a democratic country and, therefore, no one can contest El Rufai’s right to criticise the government of the day, whether as an individual or as a spokesman for his party, the APC. In the same vein, he cannot be denied the right to sell his party, which is even yet to have a manifesto, to the electorate. But he can be taken up on the way and manner he exercises either or both of these rights, if it falls short of acceptable standards and global best practice.

Any intelligent observer of his vicious campaign against the present administration, and, in particular,  Jonathan, cannot but notice his penchant for making allegations which are not substantiated. He is ever quick to blame the President  and the PDP for everything that may be percieved to be wrong or inadequate in the country, including the challenges that the past administration, in which he served as  minister.

El Rufai, recently, made some allegations against Vice President Namadi Sambo, one of which was that the man, during his watch as governor of Kaduna State, committed the state to a heavy loan burden.

He was immediately challenged by the office of the Vice President to substantiate the allegation but he has been unable to do so. Similarly, he has not been able to show evidence to prove any of the allegations he levelled against the President in his various commentaries  in his newspaper column, opinion write ups and interviews in both the print and broadcast media.

Each time he talks carelessly, he hopes somebody is listening but what he does not realize is that the people are not looking for scape goats to blame for their problems. They are looking for concrete answers and solutions to the challenges facing the country. He keeps talking about unfulfilled promises of government but the Jonathan administration never promised to solve all the problems at once and it has been honest with the modest achievements it has recorded so far.

He is sure to be humbled and disappointed in the long run, if, as it is widely suspected, his motive is to incite the people against the present administration. The truth of the matter is that the institution of government in Nigeria lost the confidence of the people a long time ago because of its inability to meet their aspirations.

This includes the administration in which El Rufai served and he knows it. But he keeps shedding crocodile tears, lamenting that the country would have been better than what it is now if the administrations which succeeded their own had continued  their  policies and programmes. But let us ask him what that administration achieved, for instance, in the power sector with all the billions of dollars it claimed to have spent on it.

Why are we still grappling with the issue of erratic power supply? Thank God for the Jonathan administration’s transparent handling of the current transactions in that sector, Nigerians can track the developments with hope of attaining sufficient power supply in the nearest future. Everything going on there now is public knowledge.

What is most worrisome in El Rufai’s conduct is his reckless disrespect for the office and person of the President.  In fact, some of his statements, such as his description of the President as the godfather of the oil thieves in the Niger Delta, are not only abusive but also libellous.

From all indications, he is still lacking the noble qualities of a statesman. If he could say all the uncharitable things he said about his benefactor, former President  Olusegun Obasanjo, in his recent book, what could he not say about a political opponent that he and his principals are desperately forging conspiratorial alliances to unseat?

Finally, El Rufai is not somebody Nigerians should take seriously. He is not anywhere near the saint he wants people to believe he is. The legislative probe of the transactions at the Bureau of Public Enterprises, some time ago, showed breaches of due process committed under his watch as Director-General of the organization. Of course, he quickly put the blame on Obasanjo, claiming that he was not given free hand. Why did he not resign his appointment? He played the good boy and was rewarded even with ministerial appointment. So, who is he deceiving?

Mayowa Adeyemi can be reached via email: [email protected]