Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, says he does not pretend and cannot be one of the politicians who become “Nollywood actors” once in government.

Recently, el-Rufai has been involved in a public war of words with some members of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The spat began after the former Kaduna governor criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for “straying away from its core values” and said he no longer recognises his political party.

El-Rufai’s comment struck a chord within the presidency, and Daniel Bwala, a presidential aide, asked el-Rufai if his take on the APC would have been different if he were a member of Tinubu’s cabinet.

Reacting to Bwala’s remark, el-Rufai said he would still criticise APC even if he had been involved in the Tinubu administration.

On Saturday, in a post on his X account, the former Kaduna governor aimed another jibe at those he claimed become actors once they get into political office.

He was responding to a post by a social media user, @irahabib.

“The day I read El-Rufai’s book titled Accidental Public Servant, I concluded that no politician would want @elrufai in their cabinet unless they genuinely intend to develop this country. He doesn’t know how to pretend,” Habib wrote.

In response, el-Rufai wrote, “Thanks for your kind words, @irahabib. Truly, I don’t know how to pretend. Being a Nollywood actor in governance is for some others, not some of us. Have a nice day.”