Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has explained that his reported differences with President Bola Tinubu were never personal but stemmed from deep ideological and governance disagreements.
Speaking during an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai said he never enjoyed a close personal relationship with Tinubu, contrary to widespread assumptions.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari,” he said.
READ ALSO: PDP Sets Up Caretaker Committee to Manage Abia State Affairs
The former governor explained that his support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition was guided by political principle rather than personal loyalty. According to him, his involvement began after being approached by Islamic stakeholders from the South-West who advocated for the emergence of a Muslim presidential candidate from the region.
“That was how the discussions started. As governor of Kaduna and one of the founders of the 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,” El-Rufai stated.
He noted that once Tinubu emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, he committed himself fully to the party’s cause in line with his long-held political principles.
“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,” he said.
El-Rufai, however, stressed that his differences with the president became evident after the election, driven largely by conflicting views on governance and public service.
“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 said.
He further criticized what he described as the governing philosophy of the current administration, arguing that it conflicted with his personal values and beliefs.
“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 added.
The former governor also disclosed that even if he had accepted the ministerial appointment publicly offered to him by President Tinubu, he would have eventually resigned due to those fundamental ideological differences.
His remarks add fresh insight into the political distance between two prominent figures of the ruling APC and highlight ongoing debates about governance style and principles within Nigeria’s political elite.
