Former Kaduna State Governor and ex-FCT Minister, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed claims of a personal fallout with President Bola Tinubu, revealing that he never had a personal relationship with him in the first place.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV on Monday, El-Rufai made the clarification after recent speculations and media reports suggesting tension between him and the President.
He said his support for Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid was motivated by party loyalty and political considerations, not friendship.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari of blessed memory,” he stated.
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El-Rufai explained that his involvement in Tinubu’s campaign arose from consultations within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and broader political arrangements.
He added that certain Islamic stakeholders from the Southwest approached him to support a southern Muslim candidate, which led to his backing of Tinubu.
He further highlighted the party’s zoning arrangement after President Buhari’s tenure, saying the southern presidency was inevitable, and Tinubu was “merely an accidental beneficiary.
Despite supporting Tinubu’s candidacy, El-Rufai said fundamental disagreements emerged after the election due to differing governance philosophies.
“We didn’t fall out; we didn’t find areas of agreement. I am in government to serve the public and deliver results, not to enrich myself or appoint cronies,” he explained.
He described the current administration’s approach as contrary to his values, adding, “They came to govern the cake, to enrich themselves.
We are different people, parallel lines that will never meet.”
El-Rufai also disclosed that he declined a ministerial role offered by Tinubu, saying he would have resigned shortly after due to these fundamental differences.
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