Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu never liked him during their time together in the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that his loyalty was firmly with former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on Prime Time, a political talk show aired on Arise Television on Monday, El-Rufai made several frank remarks about his relationships within the APC, stating: “Bola Tinubu never really liked me, but we never really got along. In the party, I was Buhari’s boy.”
El-Rufai noted that his alignment within the party gravitated towards Bisi Akande, a founding chieftain of the APC and former Osun State Governor.
“The person I got along with was Baba Akande,” he added.
The former governor, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under President Olusegun Obasanjo, weighed in on the challenges facing opposition groups in forming a viable alternative platform.
He expressed deep skepticism about the willingness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under the leadership of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to register a new coalition political party.
The INEC Problem
According to him, the current INEC lacks the credibility and openness of its predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, under whom the APC was successfully registered in 2013.
“I don’t think INEC under Mahmood Yakubu will register any serious coalition,” he said, hinting at a restrictive political atmosphere.
El-Rufai’s comments come amid growing internal tensions within the ruling party and rising speculation about the formation of a “third force” ahead of the 2027 elections.
His remarks are likely to fuel further debates over loyalty, party dominance, and political alliances in Nigeria’s evolving democratic landscape.
