Former Governor of Kaduna State Nasiru El-Rufa’i, says former President Muhammadu Buhari has approved his decision to dump APC to SDP.
El-Rufai who revealed this to the BBC Hausa Service, added that “I have those I consult with in everything I do. I inform them of anything I intend to do, and when they demand that I keep off, I do.
“My first godfather is Muhammadu Buhari. For the rest, I will not mention them because if I do, they’ll be pressured.”
The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja said he informed and obtained the consent of Buhari before leaving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, when he was governor, he had submitted the list of his commissioner-nominees to Buhari to screen them and see if there was anyone among them who once insulted him (Buhari).
“After going through the list, he nodded his approval and offered prayers. I consult with him in all I do,” he added.
He said he did not regret supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, El-Rufa’i adding that “but I have been taken by surprise. But why I don’t regret supporting him is, some Yoruba leaders from the South West had visited Kaduna and informed me that the Muslims of their region were being politically marginalised. That was the first reason I supported Tinubu.
“The second reason is this: We agreed that the 2023 presidential seat would be zoned to the Southern part of Nigeria for fairness, balance and justice in the country.”
El-Rufai, on Monday, denounced his membership of the APC upon which he contested and won elections twice to be governor of Kaduna State for eight years.
He said he left the ruling party because its leaders had no desire to control and run the APC and acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation in the party.
