Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that he never betrayed Atiku Abubakar, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate.
El-Rufai made this known during an interview with BBC Hausa Service, where he also called on key opposition leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, to join him in the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The former governor, who recently dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the SDP, said his decision was driven by his disappointment in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which he had previously supported in the hope of replicating the success Tinubu achieved as governor of Lagos State.
“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well, because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges,” El-Rufai said.
“We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”
Addressing claims of betrayal, El-Rufai insisted that his relationship with Atiku predated politics, stemming from their professional work experience, and maintained that he had always been candid in his assessments.
“I never betrayed Atiku Abubakar because we didn’t meet in politics; we met at work. In work, if I see that he didn’t do well, whoever he is, I will tell him. I told Buhari, and I even took Buhari to court on the new naira issue,” he stated.
El-Rufai recounted his time working with former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his fallout with Atiku, explaining why he supported Obasanjo at the time.
“When Obasanjo and Atiku were having issues, those of us working with Obasanjo looked at the issues between them and said Obasanjo was more right. It was not about north and south; Obasanjo was right,” he explained.
He added that he and Atiku are now aligned politically.
“Atiku and I are now together, and if I betrayed him why are we together now?” El-Rufai asked.
Calling for unity among opposition leaders, he said:
“What I want and pray for is for all opposition leaders— Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola— to join the SDP.”
