Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai revealed that he sought former President Muhammadu Buhari’s consent before leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, El-Rufai stated that he met with Buhari on a Friday to inform him of his decision, as he regularly seeks the former president’s counsel on important matters. According to him, the former president acknowledged El-Rufai’s concerns and offered his blessings.
While speaking on BBC Hausa, El-Rufai said,“I left the APC with his full knowledge. I visited him on a Friday and informed him of my decision to leave the party, because I involve and consult with him on all my matters.”
Recall that over the past few weeks, the former Kaduna State governor who has been an open critic of President Tinubu’s APC led government had mentioned that he was still having close-door meetings with some prominient persons outside the APC cacus.
This statment came as a response to Tinubu’s birthday message on Twitter where the president eulogized him and further thanked for all he had done for APC, the party which he was one of the founders. Also, he was seen in close door meeting with prominent members of the SDP before he joined the party.
El-Rufai announced his defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) via a posted on his verified Facebook page on Monday. The former governor also asserted that his practice of consulting key figures before making major decisions isnt new.
He also noted that Buhari was among those he seeks advice from. He also mentioned that during his tenure as governor, he would present his list of commissioner nominees to Buhari for review, ensuring none had previously insulted the former president.
While clearing the air about his depature from APC being linked to his failed ministerial appointment, El-Rufai asserted that he never lobbied for a ministerial position in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He recounted that Tinubu had publicly requested his assistance to address Nigeria’s power sector challenges, and he accepted based on the president’s commitment to resolving the issue.
When asked he if had a god-father, El-Rufai mentioned that he had some, and that Mohammadu Buhari is one of them. He however added that he would refrain from mentioning the names of others to avoid unnecesarry pressure being mounted on them.
Regarding his support for President Tinubu in the 2023 election, El-Rufai mentioned he does not regret his decision but is surprised by some of the president’s actions. He highlighted that his support was partly due to appeals from Yoruba leaders concerned about political marginalization of Muslims in the South West and the agreement to zone the presidency to the Southern region for fairness.
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