El-Rufai: I Never Had a Personal Relationship With Tinubu

Former Kaduna State Governor and ex-Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, has rejected claims that he fell out personally with President Bola Tinubu, saying there was never any personal bond between them in the first place.

Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, El-Rufai explained that his backing of Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election was based on party loyalty and political calculations, not friendship.

“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari of blessed memory,” he stated.

El-Rufai said his involvement in Tinubu’s emergence followed consultations within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and broader political considerations. According to him, influential Islamic stakeholders from the Southwest had approached him to support a Muslim presidential candidate from the region, which initiated the discussions.

He also pointed to the APC’s zoning arrangement after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, noting that power was expected to shift to the South. “It wasn’t about Tinubu specifically; he simply benefited from the circumstances,” he said.

Despite not being personally close to Tinubu, El-Rufai said he fully committed to the campaign once Tinubu secured the party’s ticket, citing his principle of supporting his party’s candidate regardless of personal preference.

However, he revealed that ideological differences emerged after the election, stressing that their visions of governance and public service do not align. “We didn’t fall out; we just couldn’t find common ground. I believe government should serve the people, not enrich officials or reward cronies,” he said.

He further criticized the current administration’s governing style, describing it as fundamentally different from his own values and upbringing. “Their philosophy is contrary to everything I’ve been taught as a Muslim, a northerner, and a Nigerian. We are parallel lines that will never meet,” he added.

El-Rufai also disclosed that he declined a ministerial appointment from Tinubu for the same reasons, saying he would have resigned shortly after if he had accepted the role because their governing philosophies are worlds apart.