Abuja — Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has clarified the reasons behind his reported differences with President Bola Tinubu, insisting that their fallout was rooted in ideology and governance philosophy, not personal animosity.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai disclosed that he never had a close personal relationship with Tinubu, unlike his longstanding association with former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never had a personal relationship like the one I had with General Buhari,” he said.
El-Rufai explained that his decision to support Tinubu’s presidential ambition ahead of the 2023 elections was based on principle and party agreement rather than personal loyalty. According to him, the push initially came from Islamic stakeholders in the South-West who advocated for a Muslim presidential candidate from the region.
“As a founding member of the APC, there was a clear understanding that after eight years of Buhari, power would return to the South. It was not about Tinubu personally; he became an accidental beneficiary of that arrangement,” he stated.
Despite personal reservations, El-Rufai said he committed fully to Tinubu’s campaign after he emerged as the APC presidential candidate.
“It is my principle to fight for the candidate of my party, whether I like the person or not. Once he became the flagbearer, I gave everything to ensure he won,” he said.
However, El-Rufai noted that fundamental differences in governance philosophy eventually created a clear divide between him and the current administration.
“We didn’t fall out; we simply didn’t find common ground. I believe government exists to serve the public and deliver results, not to enrich individuals or reward cronies,” he said.
He added that the governing approach of the Tinubu administration runs contrary to his personal convictions.
“The philosophy of this government contradicts everything I have been taught as a Muslim, a northerner, and a Nigerian. They came to govern the cake and enrich themselves. We are fundamentally different—parallel lines that will never meet,” El-Rufai stated.
The former governor also revealed that even if he had accepted Tinubu’s publicly offered ministerial appointment, he would have eventually resigned due to these irreconcilable differences.
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