El-Rufai: I consulted Buhari before leaving APC — and he gave his blessings

Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says he consulted former president Muhammadu Buhari before resigning his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Monday, el-Rufai announced that he had joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The former Kaduna governor had asked his supporters “and other persons concerned about our country’s future” to join him in the SDP.

Speaking in an interview on BBC Hausa aired on Thursday, el-Rufai said he does not take a major decision without first consulting Buhari.

He added that the ex-president prayed for him after he shared his defection plan with him.

“There are certain people that before I do any major thing or make any decision I consult and anything they ask me not to do, I don’t do, and former President Muhammadu Buhari is among them,” el-Rufai said in Hausa.

“I consulted Buhari before leaving the APC. It was on a Friday when I went and met him. I hardly make any major decision without consulting him.

“I told him to pray for me and give me his blessings which he did.

“Even when I was governor of Kaduna, before I appointed my commissioners, I took the list to Buhari for cross-checking to see if from among them someone ever insulted him.

“He (Buhari) laughed, thanked me and told me you can go ahead and appoint commissioners.”

Asked if he has a father figure in politics, el-Rufai replied in the negative, stating that he only has a group he seeks political advice from.

He restated that he left the ruling APC because the party had deviated from its core values.

“The APC has abandoned the principles that led to its establishment. It has abandoned the community,” he said.

“Everyone is doing their own thing. Everyone is looking for money. The government has become a business government.”