Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has launched a scathing critique of the President Bola Tinubu administration, labeling it as the "worst and most corrupt" in Nigeria's history. El-Rufai made these remarks during an interview with journalists in Katsina on Monday night, where he also accused the government of being the most intolerant since the return to civil rule in 1999.

"This is the worst federal government in Nigerian history and all the indices have shown it," el-Rufai stated. "This is the most corrupt and most intolerant government in Nigeria. This is the most lying government that depends on false propaganda."

El-Rufai specifically targeted the government's claims regarding improvements in the security situation, alleging the dissemination of falsehoods. He questioned the accuracy of reports detailing the elimination of bandits, stating, "They lied that security has improved in Nigeria. They read out numbers of bandits killed except the ones we know are the leading bandits. In Kaduna, Dogo Gide is still around, Mallam Abba, the Boko Haram terrorist, is still alive. Bello Turji is still around but every day, they announce names of people that are bandits’ leaders that they have killed and security has improved."

He further asserted that the persistence of insecurity in various regions of the country is attributable to the federal government's failure to address the underlying causes of the crisis. "How many local governments are under the occupation of bandits in Katsina state? How many are occupied by bandits in Zamfara state and some parts of Sokoto state? And because you are in government you think that nothing would happen?" El-Rufai questioned.

Looking ahead, El-Rufai expressed confidence that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) would defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.

El-Rufai was in Katsina to offer condolences to Governor Dikko Radda on the death of his mother. This visit follows a separate occasion on Friday when former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar led a delegation of prominent politicians to visit former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna. The delegation included el-Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal, Isa Pantami, Achike Udenwa, Gabriel Suswam, and Jibrilla Bindow. El-Rufai described the purpose of that visitation as promoting "unity and brotherhood."