Bashir El-Rufai has publicly apologized to Vice-President Kashim Shettima for calling him “spineless,” marking a sudden pivot from his usual history of controversial and combative social media rhetoric.
Bashir El-Rufai, the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a public apology to Vice-President Kashim Shettima for previously labeling him “spineless” on social media. In a post shared on his verified X handle, the younger El-Rufai retracted his earlier “reckless” commentary, stating, “I want to use this medium to personally apologize to the Vice-President of Nigeria, His Excellency Sir Kashim Shettima, for my old post referring to his person as spineless. He is someone I greatly admire & respect.”
This reversal comes after a history of inflammatory digital presence, which includes referencing President Bola Tinubu as “Escobar” in a nod to the President’s 1990s U.S. forfeiture case, as well as sparking national outrage by suggesting Southern Kaduna residents would continue to see “sheghe” (trouble) if they clashed with Fulani herdsmen. Despite his past declarations against the concept of “One Nigeria,” El-Rufai now characterizes his insults toward the Vice-President as a lapse in judgment, admitting, “It was a reckless tweet. @KashimSM.”