Breaking: Actual Reason El-Rufai and Tinubu Fell Out is Finally Out, "We Were Never Friends"
- Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, said he and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu never had a personal relationship and his support was based on party loyalty not friendship
- El-Rufai explained that his fallout with President Tinubu arose from conflicting governance philosophies and a commitment to public service over enrichment
- The former governor revealed he rejected a ministerial position offered by President Tinubu because their fundamental approaches to governance were incompatible
Former Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, February 9, revealed the reasons behind his well-publicised rift with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The former governor insisted that the disagreement was rooted in governance philosophies rather than personal animosity.
Source: Twitter
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai emphasised that he and Tinubu never shared a close personal bond.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari of blessed memory,” he said.
El-Rufai: Support for Tinubu based on party loyalty, not friendship
El-Rufai explained that his initial backing of Tinubu’s presidential bid was motivated by political and regional considerations, not friendship.
“I was approached by certain Islamic stakeholders from the South-West to support the emergence of a South-West Muslim presidential candidate,” he said.
“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.”
The former governor added that once Tinubu won the APC ticket, he supported him out of principle.
“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 stated.
Fallout stemmed from clash of governance philosophies
El-Rufai disclosed that the eventual disagreement with Tinubu arose from fundamentally different approaches to governance, Vanguard reported.
“We didn’t fall out; we just 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.
“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.”
Rejected ministerial offer on principle
The former governor also revealed that he declined a ministerial position offered by Tinubu due to these differences.
Source: Twitter
“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,” El-Rufai declared.
The interview sheds light on the political dynamics behind the perceived estrangement between the former Kaduna governor and the President, highlighting principle over personal ties as the core of their disagreement.
El-Rufai speaks on ADC 2027 presidential tickets
Previously, Legit.ng reported that former Kaduna state governor and leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said the party will not zone its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former governor likewise insisted that all aspirants will be allowed to contest freely.
Source: Legit.ng
