Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has addressed his reported fallout with President Bola Tinubu, stating that their differences were ideological rather than personal.
Speaking during an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai clarified that he never had a close personal relationship with Tinubu. According to him, his bond with the president was not comparable to the one he shared with former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari,” he said.
El-Rufai explained that his support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition was based on party principles and internal agreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC). He noted that after Buhari’s eight-year tenure, there was an understanding that power would rotate to the South.
He added that discussions about supporting a South-West Muslim candidate were initiated by certain Islamic stakeholders from the region. “It wasn’t about Tinubu; he was merely an accidental beneficiary,” El-Rufai stated.
Despite this, he said he remained committed to party loyalty once Tinubu secured the APC presidential 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,” he said, emphasizing that he worked to ensure Tinubu’s victory.
However, El-Rufai maintained that their divergence stemmed from differences in governance philosophy. He said his approach to public service centers on delivering results and serving citizens rather than personal enrichment or political patronage.
“The philosophy of this government is contrary to everything I’ve been taught… We are different people—parallel lines that will never meet,” he said.
He further disclosed that even if he had accepted the ministerial position reportedly offered to him, he would have eventually exited the administration due to those fundamental differences.
