Dare Babalola
Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has shed light on the nature of his relationship with President Bola Tinubu, stating that they never shared a close personal bond.
In a detailed interview with Trust TV on Monday, El-Rufai revealed the underlying reasons for his falling out with President Tinubu, emphasising that their differences stemmed from fundamental governance principles rather than personal animosity.
“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 explained that his initial backing of Tinubu’s presidential bid was driven by a sense of political and regional balance, rather than personal affinity.
He revealed that he was approached by Islamic stakeholders from the South-West to support a Muslim presidential candidate from the region.
“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,” he added.
The former governor emphasised his commitment to party loyalty, stating that he threw his weight behind Tinubu once he secured the APC presidential ticket.
He added, “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.”
The former Kaduna governor officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on November 27, 2025, after announcing his exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He completed his registration and received his membership card at the ADC office in U/Sarki Ward, Kaduna State, marking a significant step in his political realignment.
El-Rufai’s move to ADC comes after he resigned from the APC on March 10, citing that the party had drifted from its founding principles.
He briefly joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) before joining ADC, reportedly due to disagreements over opposition coalition leadership terms. The ADC welcomed El-Rufai, with party leaders pledging to work with him as they prepare for local and national contests.
