Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has urged Nigerians to align with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to rescue the country from what he described as “area boys.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Bashir made the cryptic remark: “Join in saving this country from area boys.” While he did not explicitly mention names, his comment appeared to be a veiled criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s appointees, particularly those from Lagos State.
His statement comes amid his father’s recent defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP. Nasir El-Rufai, who previously served as a key figure within the APC, has become increasingly vocal in his criticisms of the Tinubu-led administration.
Before his resignation, the former Kaduna governor expressed concerns over what he described as a growing disconnect between his personal values and the party’s current leadership. He had also taken issue with Tinubu’s approach to political appointments, arguing that many key positions were being filled by individuals from Lagos, not necessarily based on merit or regional balance.
“The president’s appointments are not being made because the appointees are Yoruba, but because they are his own boys. Most of these appointments do not even reasonably represent the South-West,” El-Rufai previously stated.
Bashir’s call to action suggests further political realignments may be underway, as opposition voices within the APC continue to question the direction of the current administration.
