According to Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, he and President Bola Tinubu disagree on governing philosophy.
In an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai reportedly stated that he and Tinubu never had a strong personal relationship, emphasizing that his early support for the President was motivated by principles rather than a personal connection.
Former FCT Minister El-Rufai emphasized that the conflict with Tinubu was never personal.
He added that he would have quit the administration due to those basic philosophical disagreements even if he had agreed to Tinubu’s offer of ministerial posts.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend,” he added. I developed a personal contact with General Buhari that we never had before.
Some Islamic stakeholders in the southwest approached me to offer their support for the rise of a Muslim presidential contender from the region.
That was how the conversations began. Being the governor of Kaduna and one of the APC’s founders, I was aware that there was an agreement that power would shift back to the south following Buhari’s eight years in office. Tinubu was only an unintended beneficiary; it wasn’t about him.
We failed to identify points of agreement and didn’t have a falling out. I am in government to serve the people and accomplish goals, not to make money or install friends.
“As a Muslim, a Northerner, and a Nigerian, the ideology of this regime runs counter to everything I’ve been taught. They arrived to control the cake and make money. We are distinct individuals living on opposite sides of a line that will never intersect.
Additionally, El-Rufai said that his dedication to maintaining party unity following Tinubu’s victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary was founded on his values.
“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.
“I would do everything in my power to ensure his victory because he emerged as the party’s candidate.”
