Joe Igbokwe, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has praised former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, claiming he is “greater, smarter, bolder, and more capable” than all the federal ministers in Nigeria.
Igbokwe’s comments come in the wake of recent tensions within the APC. El-Rufai, a staunch ally of the party, fell out with some of its members after criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s government.
During an event in Abuja, El-Rufai declared that he no longer recognizes the APC, citing the party’s abandonment of its founding principles and the lack of internal democracy.
El-Rufai’s remarks sparked backlash from some of Tinubu’s supporters, including Reno Omokri, who accused the former governor of orchestrating violence during his tenure in Kaduna.
Omokri described El-Rufai as a “bloodthirsty tyrant” who enjoyed seeing “blood flowing on the streets of Kaduna.”
However, Igbokwe, in a Facebook post, strongly defended El-Rufai, emphasizing his contributions to the APC’s success in the 2023 elections.
He recalled how El-Rufai, alongside other APC governors, played a pivotal role in countering a controversial policy by the then-Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, which nearly derailed Tinubu’s presidential victory.
Igbokwe also criticized the APC for allowing El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination to be blocked by what he referred to as “shenanigans” from some individuals in the Senate.
He questioned why El-Rufai’s nomination was rejected despite his significant contributions to the party’s success.
“APC Nigeria needs the former Governor of Kaduna State,” Igbokwe wrote. “We cannot afford to lose him to a rival party. He is one of the strong characters we cannot afford to lose at a time like this.”