Former Kaduna State Governor and ex-FCT Minister Nasir El-Rufai has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, describing it as bloated and lacking the competence needed to tackle Nigeria’s challenges. Speaking on Arise News on Monday, El-Rufai expressed regret for supporting Tinubu in the 2023 elections, saying the administration has failed to live up to expectations.

“Look at his cabinet—it’s a joke. It’s the largest in Nigeria’s history, and maybe only five of them can be called real ministers,” El-Rufai said. He contrasted Tinubu’s current government with his technocratic approach as Lagos governor, which included figures like Yemi Osinbajo and Wale Edun.

El-Rufai admitted he feels partly responsible for what he called the “tragedy” of Tinubu’s leadership, vowing to work with others to reverse the country’s “dangerous trajectory.” He also revealed that he was never close to Tinubu, stressing that his loyalty was to former President Muhammadu Buhari, but he set aside personal feelings to help Tinubu win Kaduna during the election.

El-Rufai’s comments come amid growing criticism of the Tinubu administration’s performance as economic and security challenges persist.