Socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, has accused President Bola Tinubu of intentionally excluding former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from his administration to weaken his political influence and publicly disgrace him.
Yesufu made the claim in a post on her 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) account while reacting to ongoing discussions about political appointments and the recent resignation of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over alleged certificate forgery.
Yesufu questions DSS’s role in El-Rufai’s rejection
The outspoken activist argued that the President’s decision not to include El-Rufai in his cabinet had little to do with the Department of State Services (DSS) report that reportedly raised concerns about the former governor’s security clearance.
According to her, Tinubu could have influenced the Senate to confirm El-Rufai’s nomination if he genuinely wanted him on the ministerial list.
“Nasir El-Rufai’s case is not about the DSS,” Yesufu wrote. “Tinubu wanted to humiliate him.
Even if the DSS had found issues, the Senate would have confirmed him if the President truly desired it. The National Assembly is under his full control.”
‘Tinubu chose to freeze El-Rufai out’
Yesufu further asserted that the President had several options to accommodate El-Rufai, even after the Senate withheld his confirmation, but deliberately chose not to.
“Tinubu could have given El-Rufai an advisory role or an appointment that didn’t require Senate confirmation,” she stated.
“He could have made him a close ally like Buhari did with Mamman Daura, but he intentionally left him in the cold.”
Political observers recall that El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination was stalled in 2023 after the Senate refused to confirm him, citing undisclosed security concerns allegedly raised by the DSS.
‘Only opposition can revive El-Rufai’ — Yesufu
In her post, Yesufu suggested that El-Rufai’s only path to political revival may lie in challenging President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Tinubu wants El-Rufai to be politically irrelevant,” she claimed. “For El-Rufai to regain his credibility, he must work to remove Tinubu from power in 2027. In all of it, it’s still the same old politicians playing the same game.”
Political undercurrents deepen
Yesufu’s comments have reignited conversations about internal rivalries within the ruling party and the strained relationship between the two influential politicians.
A political analyst said Yesufu’s remarks reflect the growing perception that “Tinubu is consolidating his power by sidelining potential threats within his circle.”
The source added, “It’s clear that the President is making strategic political moves. El-Rufai’s exclusion may not just be about the DSS, it could be about controlling the political future of those who once challenged his dominance.”
As the 2027 elections draw closer, observers believe El-Rufai’s next political steps will determine whether he remains a sidelined figure or re-emerges as one of Tinubu’s most formidable critics.