President Bola Tinubu has congratulated
Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, on his 65th birthday.
Tinubu commended el-Rufai for his “endeavours for
democracy and meritorious service to the nation”.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga,
presidential spokesperson, Tinubu commended the former Kaduna governor for his
role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“President Tinubu celebrates Mallam El-Rufai on this
occasion and commends his endeavours for democracy; his meritorious service to
the nation, and mentorship of the younger generation,” the statement reads.
“The President acknowledges Mallam El-Rufai’s role in
the dialogues leading up to the formation of the APC and his contributions to
the success of the party in the three consecutive elections of 2015, 2019, and
2023.
“President Tinubu wishes El-Rufai good health and
strength for continuous service to the nation.”
The president’s felicitations come amid the political
friction between his camp and the former Kaduna governor.
In the build-up to the 2023 elections, el-Rufai was
one of the northern leaders who insisted that power must return to the south
after the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The former Kaduna governor supported the presidential
ambition of Tinubu.
After Tinubu won the election, el-Rufai was nominated
as a minister but the senate withheld his
confirmation, citing security concerns.
The development was interpreted by political analysts
as a move to whittle down his influence in the presidency.
Despite initially retreating from the political scene,
el-Rufai recently resurfaced, unleashing a
series of scathing critiques of the APC and the administration of Tinubu.
He is also known to constantly retweet X(formerly
Twitter) posts critical of the Tinubu administration.
Of late, there have been unconfirmed reports that
el-Rufai is seeking another political tent ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former governor also recently alleged that there
may be plans to arrest and torture him upon his return to the country.
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