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IF EL RUFAI, YAHAYA BELLO WERE WITH US, THEY WOULD HAVE CALMED DOWN THE NORTH – EX-APC PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT
Jesutega Onokpasa, a former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for Bola Tinubu, has strongly refuted allegations implicating former governors Yahaya Bello and Nasir el-Rufai in the violent protests that recently erupted in Northern Nigeria. These protests have been the subject of widespread speculation and concern, with some attributing the unrest to political machinations.
Onokpasa asserted that the former governors were being wrongfully accused and politically persecuted, which has hindered them from stepping in to help calm the situation. He believes that, were it not for these baseless accusations, Bello and el-Rufai would have been instrumental in quelling the unrest and rallying support for President Tinubu’s administration.
He expressed dismay over the actions of certain Northern appointees within the Tinubu administration, accusing them of failing to defend the government and of perpetuating unfounded rumors about Bello and el-Rufai’s involvement in the unrest. Onokpasa singled out Jackson Ude, who had alleged that Bello, el-Rufai, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, were orchestrating the protests and advocating for a military coup. According to Onokpasa, such claims are not only unsubstantiated but also damaging to the party’s cohesion.
Onokpasa criticized the internal discord within the APC, warning that the spread of these unverified claims could further fracture the party at a critical time. He emphasized that Bello, el-Rufai, and Matawalle had played significant roles in Tinubu’s electoral victory and should not be unjustly targeted by such accusations.
He argued that the rumors about Bello and el-Rufai’s involvement in destabilizing activities lack any credible evidence and are exacerbating divisions within the APC. Onokpasa called for a united front within the party, urging members to focus on resolving the current crisis rather than indulging in internal conflicts.
In his statement, Onokpasa stressed that if Bello and el-Rufai had not been politically constrained, they would have actively worked to defuse the protests and bolster support for the Tinubu administration, thereby contributing to stability both within the party and the nation at large. He lamented that the absence of these key figures has left a void in the Northern response to the protests, which could have been mitigated with their involvement.
