El-Rufai: I Supported Tinubu Out of Party Principle, Not Friendship

El-Rufai: I Supported Tinubu Out of Party Principle, Not Friendship

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has stated that he never had a personal or political relationship with President Bola Tinubu, insisting that their political paths were never destined to align.

El-Rufai, now a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks in a television interview, dismissing claims that he and Tinubu were once friends or political allies.

“I think it’s important to make this clarification. There is an assumption that I was ever Tinubu’s friend. I was not. We never got along with Tinubu. We never had a personal relationship,” he said.

He explained that his support for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election was not driven by personal loyalty but by political principle and party discipline within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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“For me, Tinubu was initially just an aspirant of the party. I was approached by certain Islamic stakeholders from the South-West and asked to support the emergence of a South-West Muslim presidential candidate,” he added.

El-Rufai noted that his backing of Tinubu was rooted in an understanding within the APC that after eight years of former President Buhari, power would shift to the South-West, and that his commitment was strictly principle-driven, not personal.

He further stated that once Tinubu emerged as the party’s candidate, he fully worked to ensure APC’s victory, highlighting his belief in supporting the official party candidate, regardless of personal preference.

However, El-Rufai said that fundamental differences in values and governance philosophy eventually created a widening gap between him and Tinubu. “We didn’t fall out; we just couldn’t find areas of agreement,” he explained, underscoring their incompatible approaches to leadership and public service.

Political analysts suggest that El-Rufai’s remarks signal growing ideological divergence within APC and reflect his efforts to distinguish his ADC platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.

El-Rufai: I Supported Tinubu Out of Party Principle, Not Friendship