President Bola Tinubu’s former spokesman in the South East, Denge Josef Onoh has come hard on various individuals insulting a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on social media.

El-Rufai came under heavy criticism over comments he made about President Tinubu’s railway project in Lagos.

The former governor had remarked that “two wrongs do not make a right. Sensible inclusion always trumps arrogant exclusion.”

He spoke while sharing an article by a United States-based Nigerian professor of journalism,
Farooq Kperogi’s allegations of ethnic favouritism in President Bola Tinubu’s appointments

Kperogi, in an article titled, ‘Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC’, accused the President Tinubu of appointing Yoruba people to key positions at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

Senator Shehu Sani who represented Kaduna Central in the eighth Assembly, while reacting, accused El-Rufai of whining because President Tinubu’s appointments into key federal positions doidn’t not favour him.

Sani slammed his northern counterpart in a post on X on Sunday, accusing him of being silent about the nepotistic appointments under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“There were people who were silent when Buhari was fielding political offices with his kinsmen and have found their voice to speak out when the equation doesn’t favour them,” Sani wrote.

The former lawmaker further alleged that El-Rufai’s administration marginalised Southern Kaduna, adding that the former governor made life unbearable to many people during his two-term reign.

Presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga had responded in his X handle that “Senator Shehu Sani responds to El-Rufai’s cheap shot against President Tinubu” and was followed up with the likes of Reno Omokri and some other APC supporters.

In his swift response, Onoh said that Bayo Onanuga’s personal response to Sani’s post should not be misconstrued to mean that the president has asked anyone to disrespect Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

He equally said Onanuga’s comment does not amount to any form of disrespect from him.

“He Onanuga has his right to comment on any topic and also share his views like anyone else. Being appointed by the President doesn’t rob him of his personal liberties.

“The president holds Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in the highest esteem, in politics we have no personal enemies but interest,” Onoh stated.

He stressed that the relationship between the president and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai goes beyond politics and it will be stupid for anyone to attempt to undermine it by going to social media and think that disrespecting him will grant such a person any special privilege in the eyes of the President.

“The administration will always acknowledge with respect the immense contributions of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai prior and during the campaign. His selfless service, commitment and dedication to the renew hope vision remains unparalleled.

“Like him or hate him, he has carved his name in the anals of Nigeria politics and his unapologetic support for a Southern president against his northern political class still distinguishes him till date.

“I personally recall his support and encouragement during the campaign when attempts to use the CBN as a political tool aimed at political strangulation of the Tinubu presidential bid, using the Naira currency change. while few of us were bold enough to voice out against the actions of the then government of the day.

“It was same El-Rufai that gave us courage by lending his voice while all those who are now forming lions of today were goats of yesterday. I personally hold him in the highest esteem.

“Mr. President is preoccupied with stabilising the economy and development across every state of the regions and one of such is his consent to a proposal to establish a federal university in Southern Kaduna. Also there are ongoing discussions to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan, Kaduna State.

“Huge commendation goes to the President as this will ensure that our most respected and distinguished Senator Shehu Sani can find closure on his recollection of nepotism that marginalised Southern Kaduna for eight years.

“One can say that the President has truly brought renewed hope to Southern Kaduna and Senator Shehu Sani is one of the last vocal voices from the last crusade. He is entitled to his opinion as a watch dog and one of the guardians of democracy, hence his comments can’t in any way be taken as that of a political jobber and it’s the responsibility of any respectable government to take corrections from any constructive criticism.

“I urge all political actors to refrain from attacks on the person of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and stop attempts to use the most distinguished Senator Shehu Sani’s statement as a boarding pass with hope they will find reward in the eyes of Mr. President because one who disrespects El-Rufai today is likely to disrespect the President tomorrow.

“No one remembers El-Rufai’s post few days ago in support of the focused leadership of Dr. Zaccheus
Adedeji, in FIRS, his support for the Nigerian customs recruitment exercise, and many other positive contributions. Same El-Rufai has shown support for the current government while political jobbers are now hovering from all angles to create discord.

“At no time did Bayo Onanuga insult Mallam Nasir El-Rufai hence any attempt to distort the narrative is an exercise in futility. Nasir El-Rufai, is a man blessed in building and supporting anyone he deems a friend even at the detriment of his life but few ever return to thank him. Like every human, he has his faults and he who is without a fault I dare to cast the first stone.

“Irrespective of all this drama, he remains a true friend of the President and a true friend is one who sees you through when others have failed.

“True friendship isn’t earned by appointments from the President, nor becoming an attack dog, or propaganda rather it’s a bond forged in shared vision, commitment, sincerity of purpose and the ability to tell your friend the truth when he’s surrounded by sycophants and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai isn’t a sycophant neither is Sen. Shehu Sani.

“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s friendship with the president is forged beyond politics and only the president can respond to his friend in a language only both of them understand and anyone who attempts to get in between them will surely sink even if your wearing a life vest,” he further stated.

Tinubu didn’t hire anybody to insult El-Rufai – Onoh