El-Rufai speaks on betraying Atiku, calls on Amaechi, Aregbesola others to join SDP
El-Rufai speaks on betraying Atiku, calls on Amaechi, Aregbesola others to join SDP
Immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has firmly denied claims that he betrayed Atiku Abubakar, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
El-Rufai made the clarification during an interview with BBC Hausa Service, where he also shared his vision for Nigeria’s political future.
The former governor, who recently made a high-profile switch from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), expressed his hope that key opposition figures, including Atiku, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, would consider joining the SDP.
El-Rufai said: “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.
“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.
“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.
“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. Atiku and I are now together, and if I betrayed him why are we together now.
“What I want and pray for is for all opposition leaders— Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola— to join the SDP.”
