Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed suggestions of a personal friendship with his successor, Governor Uba Sani, insisting their relationship was purely political.
El-Rufai, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said he had supported Sani’s rise to power in 2023 but stressed that they were never close allies.
“I have not had a quarrel with the governor. He simply isn’t my friend; he was my mentee,” the former minister said. “I don’t even speak with him, but I am proud of supporting people who later achieve great things.
“However, if someone goes off course, am I forbidden from pointing it out simply because I helped them rise? That’s not how democracy should work.”
The former governor also accused the Kaduna State Government of orchestrating last Saturday’s attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) transition committee inauguration in Kaduna.
“I have credible evidence that the Kaduna State Governor orchestrated Saturday’s attacks,” El-Rufai alleged. “I will submit that evidence to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant authorities if they are willing to investigate.”
The event was marred by violence after suspected thugs disrupted proceedings, leaving opposition figures under attack. El-Rufai claimed police officers watched as the chaos unfolded without intervening.
“The policing system in Nigeria has collapsed,” he said. “Security personnel were present but did nothing while politicians were attacked in broad daylight.”
Now estranged from the All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai has aligned with a coalition of opposition parties that recently adopted the ADC as its platform ahead of the next general elections.