Daniel Bwala, President Bola Tinubu's Special Adviser on Policy Communications, has urged Malam Nasir El-Rufai, a former Kaduna State Governor, to seek reconciliation with the incumbent administration and return to the fold.

El-Rufai, an erstwhile minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has recently been in the news for criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu's cabinet.

Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on Monday on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, the APC chieftain alleged that his party lacks internal democracy and active party structures. He added that its leadership consists of illiterates and cunning people.

“I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show,” El-Rufai said.

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“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today.”

Bwala and El-Rufai go head-to-head

In his initial rebuttal posted on X, Bwala challenged El-Rufai, wondering if he'd have made the remarks if he were serving in the Tinubu government, to which the former minister answered in the affirmative.

The former Governor also informed Bwala that he was never interested in serving in the Tinubu-led administration.

“I was cabinet minister 22 years ago and was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government. The pathetic manner all of you latter-day converts to the Tinubu government make an issue of something that I never wanted in the first place is perhaps a reflection of the level of your moral flexibility,” one of his posts on X read.

But in a counterreaction, Bwala advised El-Rufai to retrace his steps back to the APC and resolve his grievances with the incumbent administration.

He also reminded the former Governor that they were both instrumental in Tinubu's emergence as the APC's presidential flag-bearer in the 2023 elections.

"Still, my senior brother @elrufai, I am sure you don’t need anyone to tell you about my respect and admiration for you, not just for your brilliance but also as one of the brightest we have from the northern extraction. I am not stating it for the first time today, and you know that.

My worry, however, is the motive behind your statements and actions; they are not borne out of patriotism but need for vengeance. The opposition see that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment.

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"With respect, I am not a latter day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our roles in his emergence as candidate of the party ahead of 2023 elections. And before then, whilst you were from the CPC extraction of APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party amongst other things to protect the interest of Asiwaju whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics.

"I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think is your grievances like a dignified man that you are.

"Our party APC as of today remains the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country. So if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party.

"Please senior, come home; you have toiled all nights," Bwala wrote.