‘Come Home, You Have Toiled All Nights,’ Bwala Replies El-Rufai

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communications to President Bola Tinubu, has once again responded to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, urging him to reconsider his position against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and return to the party.

This back-and-forth came after El-Rufai made pointed criticisms of the APC’s internal workings and governance in Nigeria, which he referred to as a “national emergency” during a conference in Abuja on Monday. El-Rufai also voiced dissatisfaction with the party’s leadership, claiming it had failed to meet in two years, and questioned its functioning as a one-man show.

In response, Bwala took to social media, questioning whether El-Rufai would have expressed the same criticisms had he been a member of the cabinet. El-Rufai shot back, stating that even as a cabinet member, his criticisms would have remained unchanged, and he reminded Bwala to prioritize loyalty to God and country above political allegiance.

Bwala, while acknowledging El-Rufai’s intelligence and past contributions, expressed concern that the former governor’s statements were motivated by “vengeance” rather than patriotism, adding that the opposition was exploiting this for recruitment. He emphasized that he wasn’t a recent supporter of Tinubu, reminding El-Rufai of their past political alignment and efforts to support Tinubu ahead of the 2023 elections.

Bwala then urged El-Rufai to resolve his grievances through dialogue rather than public confrontations. He also reassured him that the APC remains the most organized political structure in Nigeria, making it the best avenue for any political engagement.

He concluded his statement by urging El-Rufai to return to the party fold: “Please senior, come home; you have toiled all nights.”