By Henry Oduah

Daniel Bwala, the special adviser on policy communication to President Bola Tinubu, has told the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, that his public criticism of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is unnecessary.

On January 28, El-Rufai knocked the ruling APC for “straying from its core values,” stating that he no longer recognises the party.

While addressing a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai labelled the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”

He said, “I am the founding member of the APC. But frankly, I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years — no caucus, no NEC, nothing. I don’t even know if it is a one-man show. It is a zero-man show.”

The ex-governor posted the link to an online report containing his statement on X.

Reacting to the post, Bwala questioned El-Rufai’s stance, asking if he would have held the same position were he part of President Tinubu’s cabinet.

“My Senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam, a Ji soron Allah mana,” Bwala wrote.

In his response on Thursday, El-Rufai dismissed Bwala’s remarks on X, stating that he had no interest in joining Tinubu’s government. He also labelled Bwala one of the “latter-day converts to the Tinubu government.”

Bwala replied moments later: “With respect, I am not a latter day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our roles in his emergence as candidate of the party ahead of 2023 elections. And before then, whilst you were from the CPC extraction of APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party amongst other things to protect the interest of Asiwaju whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics.

“I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think is your grievances like a dignified man that you are.

“Our party APC as of today remains the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country. So if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party. Please senior, come home; you have toiled all nights.”