Former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that he is not close friends with President Bola Tinubu, despite supporting him in the 2023 presidential election.
El-Rufai made this known during an appearance on Prime Time on ARISE TV, stating that his decision to support Tinubu was based on a consensus among APC leaders in Kaduna.
The governor also expressed uncertainty about his future with the APC, saying he was not sure if he would still be a member of the party by 2027.
El-Rufai further stated that he would consult with stakeholders and make a decision based on the situation at the time, adding that he cannot commit to supporting a southern candidate in 2027 as he would no longer be a governor by then.
“When I supported President Tinubu before the primaries, it was a decision that the leaders of APC took in Kaduna. Who do we support? We succeeded in ensuring that power goes to the south, and we know that all the northern candidates will go nowhere, Yahaya Bello, Ahmed Lawan.
“But among the southerners, who do we support, they know those that are my friends. Tinubu was not my friend. I was never close to him.
“But the consensus of the APC in Kaduna was that we should support Bola Tinubu because he is the one that is more likely to win. Politicians make these calculations.
“In 2027, I’m going to consult the same people. We are going to take the same decision, which candidate to support and in which party.”
Asked if he would support a Southern candidate in 2027, El-Rufai said he can’t answer the question because he was no longer a governor.
“Now I’m a private citizen. I’m not sure I would be in the APC 2027, so I cannot answer that question… Now in 2027, I will not be a governor, so I will not have the sort of clout that I had in 2023,” he answered.
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