El-Rufai Mentions Powerful Ex-President Who Approved, Blessed Him Before Exiting APC for SDP

• A former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, disclosed that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari gave his approval and prayers before he left the APC for the SDP
• El-Rufai asserted that he did not leave APC out of fear of expulsion but rather because the party had drifted from its values
• While El-Rufai stated he did not feel betrayed by Tinubu, he expressed disappointment in the current administration

Kaduna - A former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has disclosed that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari approved and prayed for him before he left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Thursday, March 13, El-Rufai said he met with Buhari on March 7 to inform him about his plans to leave the ruling party.

“I visited him [Buhari] on Friday and explained my consultations regarding my decision to leave the party. I sought his prayers and support and informed him of the new party I intended to join. He gave me his blessings and wished me well,” El-Rufai stated.

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He added that Buhari responded neutrally, stating:

“He [Buhari] said he is now a statesman while we remain the politicians. He acknowledged our good intentions and prayed for us.”

El-Rufai, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory and two-term Kaduna governor, stated that leaving the APC was a necessary step given the current situation within the party.

“What happened next? I left their party and told them to eat it if it is food,” he remarked.

Did El-Rufai leave APC for fear of being expelled?

Addressing claims that he hurriedly left to avoid being expelled, El-Rufai said he wished the party had taken such action.

“It would have been better if they expelled me. I have always maintained that the APC would be my last political party. If they had expelled me, I wouldn’t have needed to explain my departure. But as I see it, I didn’t leave the APC; rather, the APC left me,” he clarified.

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El-Rufai speaks on seeking ministerial position from Tinubu

Refuting speculation that his departure was linked to his exclusion from the Tinubu administration’s ministerial appointments, El-Rufai dismissed the claims, Leadership reported.

“That’s just what people say. But the real question is: Did I ever lobby to become a minister? I know those who paid money for ministerial positions,” he said.

He also recalled that President Tinubu had personally requested his assistance, particularly in addressing Nigeria’s power sector challenges, as reported by Daily Nigerian.

“If Tinubu had made a private promise to appoint me, he could have denied it. But he publicly appealed to me in Kaduna to work with him. Even then, I did not immediately agree until we had a private discussion.

“He [Tinubu] stated that solving Nigeria’s power crisis was crucial for national development and that past leaders had failed in this area.

“He sought my support in making his administration the one that finally resolved the power problem. It was based on this that I considered working with him, believing he was serious,” El-Rufai recounted.

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El-Rufai says Tinubu betrayed himself

When asked if he felt betrayed by President Tinubu, El-Rufai responded:

“No, he only betrayed himself.”

On whether he regretted supporting Tinubu’s presidential bid, he said:

“I wouldn’t say I regret it, but I am disappointed.”

Good riddance - Shehu Sani reacts to El-Rufai's defection

Meanwhile, former Senator Shehu Sani, a staunch opponent of El-Rufai, has openly criticised the former governor's defection from the APC to the SDP, labelling it as "good riddance".

In an interview on Channels TV, the activist asserted that El-Rufai had become a liability to the APC in Kaduna state.

Sani highlighted that under El-Rufai's leadership, the APC's influence in Kaduna diminished significantly. He noted that in 2015, the APC secured two senatorial seats in the state, but by 2023, all three senatorial zones were won by the PDP.

Additionally, out of 14 House of Representatives seats, the PDP claimed nine, the Labour Party secured two, and the APC managed only three, according to Sani who also recently returned to the APC from the PDP.

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The former senator also pointed out that the APC lost the presidential election in Kaduna during El-Rufai's tenure as governor. He submitted that El-Rufai's defection offers the APC an opportunity to reconnect with the populace and restructure the party for future electoral success.

El-Rufai speaks on 2027 presidency

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna state governor, said he has yet to discuss his 2027 presidential ambitions with anyone.

The former governor stated this in an interview while speaking on the possibility of taking on President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

El-Rufai recently criticised President Tinubu's administration and the APC after engaging with several opposition leaders.

Article updated with Senator Shehu Sani's reaction by head of politics/CA desk, Nurudeen Lawal.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng