Adebayo Shittu, a former minister of communication, says former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai was not treated well before his formal exit from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). 

“I don’t like the way we treated Nasir El-Rufai because those who do well ought to be adequately compensated,” Mr Shittu said on Sunday. 

Mr Shittu said Mr El-Rufai, one of the leading figures during President Bola Tinubu’s campaign, should have been compensated for his hard work and support. 

He explained that Mr El-Rufai, now one of the critics of Mr Tinubu’s administration, has a good course to fight since he was compensated. 

“He did very well and exceptional,” Mr Shittu said on Channels TV. “How many people played the same role as El Rufai played among those noise makers? I don’t think it’s fair.”

Mr Shittu added, “So, El Rufai has a special case. In the entire political spectrum of APC, he’s the only one who I’m convinced has a good case because I saw him as a leading figure in the pro-Tinubu agitation for the presidency. “

Last month, Mr El-Rufai announced his defection from the APC and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He was formerly nominated for a ministerial position, but the Senate withheld his confirmation after citing a State Security Service (SSS) report. 

“He did very well. He was promised some position, but when that did not come, I expected that the government would still bring him on board one way or the other,” Mr Shittu said. 

“To just leave him… (sic) I don’t think we have done well in handling his case. Apart from him, I don’t see anyone who had any justification.”

Mr El Rufia drew the battle line with the APC after declaring his exit from the governing party for the SDP. He has also been vociferous in his criticism of the party, especially that of Mr Tinubu and members of his cabinet. 

Mr El Rufai has also formed a coalition with Atiku Abubakar, an opposition leader and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023. 

The duo and several northern leaders had recently visited the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in a move political pundits have described as an alignment against Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 polls.