Tinubu has betrayed el-Rufai, Yahaya Bello, says PDP chieftain

Segun Showunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says President Bola Tinubu has “betrayed” some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who supported him during the 2023 elections.

In a statement issued on Monday, Showunmi, a former PDP governorship aspirant in Ogun state, alleged that the president is behind the travails of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi. 

Showunmi also claimed that Nasir el-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna, would not have been rejected as ministerial nominee by the senate if Tinubu had intervened in the screening process.

Last year, Tinubu nominated el-Rufai for a ministerial position but he was not cleared by the senate.

“The Yorubas already carry misconceptions about betrayal, that we don’t keep our end of the bargain. That we use and dump people. That we are cunning around the power play,” the statement reads.

“It seems President Bola Tinubu is unmindful of this and the consequences of the same.

“Nasir El-Rufai, say what you will about him, he supported Asiwaju fully during the primaries and the general elections.

“Pray how has he been treated? Same El-Rufai now has a security report that humiliated him during a Senate clearance made up of a majority of Tinubu men!

“What would the world call that but betrayal?

“Now, Yahaya Adoza Bello who practically fought like a madman to give Asiwaju good numbers in Kogi not to talk of how he funded and ran the youth campaign with vigour and energy to the extent that I was so jealous compared to the disorganized charade of my PDP.

“Same Yahaya Bello who superintend over the membership registration of APC that to date I cannot but remember comparing the bliss and pageantry to the joke that my PDP ran under the Edo emperor.

“Pray is that the same GYB that is embarrassed to the level we are all witnessing? If this is not a betrayal, I would like someone to tell me what can be a betrayal more than this.

“Without fanning the embers of discord must everyone who worked hard with you to get the seat become minimized by those around you, who are using the agencies under your control?

“Do you plan to contest a second term or do you think your work will be done in one term of just 4 years?

“Shall tomorrow not come? Where are the men of yesterday?”

BELLO VS EFCC

Corruption allegations have trailed the former governor of Kogi since his tenure elapsed on January 27.

Bello allegedly paid $760,910 in advance as school fees for five of his children, from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege to Bello’s Abuja residence in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly rescued Bello from being arrested.

The EFCC has since declared Bello wanted, with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) placing the ex-governor on a watchlist.

Showunmi suggested that Tinubu should have used his influence to prevent the prosecution of Bello because he supported him during the election.