El-Rufai Malam Nasiru Former Kaduna State Governor, has revealed that he sought the permission of former President Muhammadu Buhari before officially leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, El-Rufai stated that he does not make major political decisions without consulting Buhari.
APC Has Strayed from Its Vision
El-Rufai criticized the APC, claiming that the party had abandoned its core values and become driven by personal interests.
“The APC has derailed. Everyone is working for himself, looking for money. The government is commercialized, and everything has a price tag. Justice has been abandoned,” he alleged.
He further claimed that committed party members were ignored in favor of individuals from Lagos.
Consultation with Buhari and Pastor Bakare
El-Rufai explained that he first informed Pastor Tunde Bakare—who introduced him to APC—before also seeking Buhari’s blessings.
“Pastor Bakare took me to Buhari, so I had to inform him. Buhari gave me his blessings and prayers before I left,” he said.
Denies Ministerial Appointment Speculations
Refuting claims that he left because he was not appointed a minister, El-Rufai stated:
“I never sought a ministerial position. I know those who paid money to be appointed. The President personally begged me to help solve Nigeria’s power problem,” he disclosed.
El-Rufai insisted that he was sidelined and abandoned by APC, forcing him to leave.
