The Great Divide: “I Was Never Tinubu’s Friend” — El-Rufai Drops a Bombshell

The Nigerian political landscape is buzzing today after former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, finally cleared the air on his relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. For many who saw El-Rufai as a key architect of the “Southern Presidency” movement within the APC, this revelation is a massive plot twist.

Political Loyalty vs. Personal Friendship

In a series of candid remarks, El-Rufai clarified that his vigorous support for Tinubu during the 2023 elections wasn’t born out of a deep-seated friendship. Instead, he describes it as a matter of political principle and party loyalty.

“I was never Tinubu’s friend. We never got along… We never had a personal relationship.”

He emphasized that his goal was to ensure the APC kept its promise of rotating power to the South after President Buhari’s tenure. For El-Rufai, it was about the office and the agreement, not the man.

The Legal & Political Fallout

From a legal standpoint in Nigeria, this shift is fascinating. While the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 guarantee freedom of association, the concept of “anti-party activities” is often used by Nigerian political parties to discipline members who drift too far from the leadership’s orbit.

With El-Rufai recently spotted engaging with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), many are wondering:

Will the APC trigger disciplinary actions based on their party constitution?
How will this affect the formation of a “mega-party” ahead of 2027?

What’s Next?

El-Rufai has always been a “Buhari boy,” and his recent distance from the “Jagaban” camp suggests a major realignment is coming. Whether this leads to a formal legal exit from the APC or a strategic stay remains to be seen.

What do you think about El-Rufai’s latest move? Is this the beginning of a new opposition coalition? Let’s talk in the comments!