Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari gave him his blessings and prayers before he officially left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Buhari’s Reaction to El-Rufai’s Exit from APC
In an interview with BBC Hausa on Thursday, March 13, El-Rufai disclosed that he met with Buhari on March 7 to inform him of his decision 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.
He added that Buhari responded in a neutral manner, saying:
“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 (FCT) and a two-term Kaduna governor, insisted that his decision to leave the APC was necessary due to the current state of 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 to Avoid Expulsion?
Reacting to claims that he left the APC to avoid being expelled, El-Rufai dismissed the speculation, stating that he would have preferred such an outcome.
“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.
El-Rufai Denies Lobbying for Ministerial Appointment
The former governor also addressed speculation that he left the APC due to being excluded from President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial appointments.
“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.
El-Rufai further revealed that Tinubu personally requested his assistance, specifically in tackling Nigeria’s power sector crisis.
“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.
El-Rufai: “Tinubu Only 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 stated:
“I wouldn’t say I regret it, but I am disappointed.”
