El-Rufai says he was never close to Tinubu, aligning instead with Buhari during their time in APC. He backed Tinubu for party unity in 2023

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]l-Rufai on Tinubu reveals a political relationship marked more by obligation than by personal camaraderie.

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The former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has clarified that he was never close to President Bola Tinubu, describing their affiliation within the All Progressives Congress as distant and circumstantial.

Speaking during a live appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time, El-Rufai explained that his support for Tinubu during the 2023 general election was not based on any personal connection but rather on a commitment to party cohesion.

He disclosed that his political allegiance had always rested with former President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he referred to as his principal.

“Personally, Bola Tinubu was never someone I was close to, even in the party,” El-Rufai stated. “In the party, I was a Buhari boy; Bola had his boys, and Buhari had his boys. We are Buharists, and no apologies.”

According to him, the inner workings of the APC were shaped by factions rooted in loyalty to key figures, with Tinubu and Buhari representing distinct camps.

El-Rufai recounted that while Tinubu maintained his own circle, he had always operated as part of Buhari’s loyal group.

His closeness to Chief Bisi Akande, the APC’s founding leader and former interim chairman, was more significant than any rapport with Tinubu.

“Tinubu never really liked me, and we never got along,” he added. “The person I got along with was Baba Akande. As his deputy national secretary, we were among the first leaders of the party.”

Despite personal distance, El-Rufai fulfilled his role as a party stalwart. Once Tinubu emerged as the APC’s presidential candidate, El-Rufai committed to mobilising support in Kaduna and ensuring electoral success in line with his responsibilities as a senior party member.

His loyalty, he said, was always to the party’s stability and victory, regardless of interpersonal friction.

His comments offer a rare glimpse into the internal divisions that have long defined the APC’s leadership dynamics.

Also read: El-Rufai criticises APC for abandoning founding principles, calls for unity in opposition

As Tinubu continues to navigate governance in an increasingly fragmented political landscape, El-Rufai’s frank admission lays bare the reality that party unity often masks deeper ideological and personal rifts.