El-Rufai Not Special, Joining Coalition Out of Bitterness – APC Chieftain Hilliard Eta
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A former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hilliard Eta, has downplayed the significance of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in national politics, claiming that El-Rufai’s recent alignment with opposition forces is driven by personal disappointment over not being appointed a minister by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on AIT’s Focus Nigeria, Eta criticized El-Rufai’s participation in a budding opposition coalition alongside former presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The trio, along with other stakeholders, met last week to advance plans for a political alliance aimed at unseating President Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai had confirmed the meeting, stating that the coalition is focused on removing Tinubu from power. However, Eta dismissed the effort, suggesting it was born out of frustration and self-interest.
“Most of them were once close to the president. People like El-Rufai believed they would become ministers under Asiwaju,” Eta said. “If he had been appointed, would he be forming a coalition today? I believe he would be presenting his scorecard as a minister instead.”
Eta went further to challenge El-Rufai’s political influence, stating, “There’s nothing special about him. People like us played more instrumental roles in making Tinubu president, and we are not ministers either.”
He accused key figures in the coalition of being narrow-minded and self-serving, naming former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and ex-Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola as former allies of Tinubu now pushing back for personal gain.
“This president is a master of coalition-building. He’s been doing it since the NADECO days. What they’re doing now is child’s play compared to what he has already accomplished,” Eta stated.
He concluded by urging political actors to look beyond personal ambition and focus on national development: “Even if you don’t benefit today, if the country improves, we all benefit eventually.”
