Reno Omokri Accuses El-Rufai of Attempting to Take Nuhu Ribadu Down Amid Political Isolation

Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has labeled ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai a “drowning man” desperate to pull National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu down with him.

In a post on his verified Facebook, Omokri claimed that El-Rufai has become increasingly marginalized in both state and national politics.

He pointed out that El-Rufai lost influence in Kaduna, where the current governor refused to align with him, and failed to secure a ministerial position after several petitions from Kaduna residents accused him of financially supporting killer herdsmen responsible for the Southern Kaduna genocide—an issue that purportedly ceased following his departure from office.

Omokri criticized El-Rufai’s recent attempts to implicate Ribadu, who is widely respected for his integrity, by resurrecting past statements related to corruption that allegedly involved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He argued that El-Rufai’s claims lack credibility, citing a 2006 statement from Ribadu that merely generalized the pitfalls of being a governor without specifically accusing Tinubu of wrongdoing or confirming any EFCC investigation against him.

According to Omokri, Ribadu’s past comments were intended to provide a deterrent against corruption among public officials, reflecting a broader law enforcement strategy similar to tactics used by the FBI.

El-Rufai’s cited transcripts from Federal Executive Council meetings as supporting evidence have been questioned by Omokri, who challenged him to prove their authenticity.

The evolving relationship between Ribadu and Tinubu, which saw Ribadu running as the presidential candidate for the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011—later facilitated by Tinubu—further undermines El-Rufai’s allegations, according to Omokri.

He remarked that El-Rufai’s maneuvering is predictable given his history of changing allegiances, recalling how, in 2010, he was a fervent critic of then-General Muhammadu Buhari, only to later become one of Buhari’s staunchest supporters.