Bola Tinubu Administration Labeled Nigeria’s Most Corrupt by El-Rufai

A recent post on X by Nigeria Stories has sparked significant attention, highlighting a scathing critique from Nasir El-Rufai, a prominent political figure and former Kaduna State governor.

In the post, El-Rufai brands President Bola Tinubu’s administration as the most corrupt and dishonest in Nigeria’s history, marking a sharp departure from their once-close alliance.

This statement comes after El-Rufai played a pivotal role in Tinubu’s 2023 presidential election victory, making the fallout even more striking.

The X post, shared on April 16, 2025, includes an image of El-Rufai speaking at an event, with a backdrop featuring the Kaduna State Government logo, adding a layer of irony to his critique given his past support for Tinubu.

The context of El-Rufai’s remarks reveals a deeper rift. After Tinubu’s election, El-Rufai was nominated for a ministerial position as a reward for his campaign efforts.

However, in a surprising turn, the Nigerian Senate rejected his nomination in 2023, a decision El-Rufai later attributed to Tinubu himself in a February 2025 BBC interview.

In that same interview, El-Rufai criticized Tinubu’s policy of importing food to curb inflation, arguing that it would devastate local farmers by forcing them to compete with subsidized foreign products.

This policy critique, combined with his recent statement, suggests El-Rufai’s growing disillusionment with Tinubu’s leadership, with some speculating he may switch political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

Adding another layer to the controversy, Tinubu’s past has resurfaced in public discourse.

Historical allegations tie him to a 1993 U.S. court case in Chicago, where he forfeited $460,000 amid claims of involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering.

According to reports from the Peoples Gazette, this case has long been a point of contention, with Nigerians demanding clarity on Tinubu’s involvement.

The matter was settled in a compromise, but recent refusals by U.S. agencies to release related records—citing national security concerns, as noted by the OCCRP—have reignited public interest.

This backdrop of unresolved allegations amplifies the weight of El-Rufai’s accusations, as it fuels ongoing debates about transparency and integrity in Tinubu’s administration.

The X post has triggered varied reactions, with some users on the platform accusing El-Rufai of hypocrisy for his role in Tinubu’s rise, while others see his critique as a reflection of broader dissatisfaction with the government.

This unfolding drama underscores the volatile nature of Nigerian politics, where alliances shift rapidly, and past promises often collide with present realities.