A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has taken a swipe at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing him as a “wounded lion” who has lost political relevance.
Naija News reports that Vatsa made the remarks in Minna while reacting to El-Rufai’s recent claim that President Bola Tinubu could become a “life president” if re-elected in 2027.
According to the APC stalwart, El-Rufai’s bitterness stems from his exclusion from Tinubu’s cabinet, adding that his political career had already been buried by his own controversial legacy in Kaduna.
Vatsa, who is a former Commissioner for Information, accused El-Rufai of deepening ethnic and religious divisions during his tenure as governor.
He said:
“The whole world saw how El-Rufai unleashed bandits and terrorists against the southern Kaduna people for eight years. Blood flowed freely in Kaduna State under his watch. Any political party that El-Rufai belongs to will lose elections in Kaduna and across the country. He misruled the state and the people have not forgiven him.”
Vatsa further noted that the APC even lost the last presidential election in Kaduna under El-Rufai’s leadership, a development he said confirmed the former governor’s dwindling influence.
“I want to advise El-Rufai to retire from politics quietly, because his continued involvement will yield nothing,” he added.
On Tinubu’s re-election bid, Vatsa dismissed fears, insisting that the South should be allowed to complete its eight-year term before power shifts back to the North in 2031.
