Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that his backing of President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid was purely a matter of political principle and party loyalty, not a reflection of personal friendship.
Speaking on Trust TV on Monday, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory drew a sharp line between his political alliances and personal relationships.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari of blessed memory,” El-Rufai said, dismissing widespread speculation of a personal fallout.
He detailed that his involvement in the campaign followed external pressure and internal party mechanics.
“I was approached by certain Islamic stakeholders from the southwest to support the emergence of a southwest Muslim presidential candidate. That is how the discussions started,” he revealed.
El-Rufai explained that the zoning arrangement within the All Progressives Congress (APC), which dictated a shift of power to the south after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, made Tinubu’s candidacy inevitable.
“As governor of Kaduna and one of the founders of APC, I knew there was an understanding that after eight years of Buhari, power would return to the south. It wasn’t about Tinubu; he was merely an accidental beneficiary,” he stated.
The former governor emphasized his long-held personal code once Tinubu secured the party’s ticket. “It is a principle of mine to fight for the candidate of my party in every election, whether I like the candidate or not. The fact that he emerged as the party’s candidate meant I would give everything to ensure he won.”
However, El-Rufai indicated that any alignment ended with the election, giving way to fundamental disagreements on governance. He framed the current disconnect not as a “fallout” but as a failure to find common ground due to opposing philosophies.
“We didn’t fall out; we didn’t find areas of agreement. I am in government to serve the public and deliver results, not to enrich myself or appoint cronies,” he asserted.
He was sharply critical of the administration’s perceived ethos, contrasting it with his values. “The philosophy of this government is contrary to everything I’ve been taught as a Muslim, a northerner, and a Nigerian. They came to govern the cake, to enrich themselves. We are different people, parallel lines that will never meet.”
El-Rufai also confirmed that these irreconcilable differences led him to reject a ministerial role in Tinubu’s cabinet, an offer that was publicly extended. “If I had accepted the ministerial position that was publicly offered to me, I would have resigned shortly after. Our fundamental philosophies of governance are worlds apart,” he concluded.
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