Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed disappointment and frustration with President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, describing it as the largest in Nigeria’s history and questioning its competence.
El-Rufai stated that he was sure President Tinubu would assemble a competent team, but the current cabinet falls short of expectations.
“I was sure President Tinubu will get it right with a competent team, but his cabinet is a joke,” El-Rufai said. He noted that maybe only five ministers in the current cabinet could be considered truly capable, comparing them unfavorably to his own experience 20 years ago.
El-Rufai specifically queried the presence of individuals with the caliber of notable past ministers, such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili, in the current cabinet. “Who is the Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in this cabinet? Who is the Oby Ezekwesili?” he asked.
When asked if his anger stemmed from being dropped from the cabinet, El-Rufai attributed his sentiments to the cabinet’s performance. “Anytime I wake up and see President Tinubu and his team inflicting pains on Nigerians and bungle the simplest things in governance, things I knew even as DG of BPE, these guys can’t just get it right,” he said. El-Rufai expressed gratitude for not being part of the cabinet, feeling fortunate to have been spared potential embarrassment.