Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that his exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not a hasty decision but one made with the full knowledge and approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai emphasized that throughout his political career, he had always sought Buhari’s counsel before making major decisions, including his recent departure from the ruling party.
According to El-Rufai, he personally informed Buhari about his decision to leave the APC and received his approval.
“I left the APC with his knowledge. I went to him on Friday and informed him that I was leaving the party. There is nothing I do without informing him,” El-Rufai stated.
Even during his tenure as Kaduna governor, El-Rufai maintained that he never made key appointments without first seeking Buhari’s input.
“Before appointing commissioners, I would present a list to him for review, ensuring that none had ever insulted him. After reviewing it, he would say there was no problem and would pray for success. I consulted him on everything I did,” he added.
When asked if he had a political godfather, El-Rufai dismissed the notion, stating that while he had mentors, he did not answer to any single political figure.
“What is a godfather? I have elders whom I consult before making any major decision. If they advise me to halt a plan, I do so. My primary political mentor is Muhammadu Buhari. As for the others, I won’t mention them to avoid undue pressure on them,” he explained.
El-Rufai also weighed in on his support for President Bola Tinubu, acknowledging that while he had no regrets backing Tinubu’s candidacy, he felt let down by the way he had been treated since the new administration took office.
“I have no regrets supporting him, but I feel blindsided. However, I supported Tinubu for two reasons,” he explained.
He cited two key motivations:
1. A delegation of Yoruba Muslim leaders from the Southwest visited him in Kaduna, urging him to support Tinubu due to political challenges in their region.
2. The collective agreement that the presidency should return to Southern Nigeria in 2023 to uphold fairness and national balance.
El-Rufai did not hold back in his criticism of the APC, stating that the party had strayed from its founding principles and now prioritizes personal interests over national development.
“The APC abandoned the ideals that led to its formation. It has abandoned the people. Everyone is now pursuing personal interests and wealth. The government has become a business enterprise where everything has a price. There is no justice. Those who worked for the party are not recognized, let alone rewarded. Appointments are now controlled by a select group from Lagos. The party is dead,” he declared.
He further revealed that before making his final decision, he consulted key political figures, including Pastor Tunde Bakare, Abdullahi Adamu, Adams Oshiomhole, and Bisi Akande.
El-Rufai has now officially resigned from the APC and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In a Facebook post announcing his defection, the former governor expressed deep disappointment over how the APC had evolved.
“As a founding member of the APC, I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and that of the APC would continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics. Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party.”
El-Rufai’s exit marks a significant political shift, raising questions about the future of the APC and the possibility of more high-profile defections.
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