El-Rufai's Betrayal: Ex-Chief of Staff Speaks Out

A former Chief of Staff to ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Bashir Sa’idu, has accused him of political betrayal. He said he and others helped Mr El-Rufai become governor in 2015 and get re-elected in 2019.

Mr Sa’idu's comments come as there is tension between the former governor and some associates. A number of them have left the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The former allies include Mr Sa’idu and Ja’afaru Sani, a former commissioner in Mr El-Rufai’s government. Mr Sani lost the ADC governorship primary to Isah Ashiru.

The fight over the ADC governorship ticket seems to have caused a major rift between them and Mr El-Rufai. They believe he supported Mr Ashiru instead of Mr Sani.

During an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI), Mr Sa’idu rejected the idea that Mr El-Rufai alone created the political careers of those who fell out with him. "Mr El-Rufai is not a politician. When he came to Kaduna in 2014 to contest the governorship, he approached us. We had our political structures, and Suleiman Hunkuyi and I worked tirelessly to ensure his victory in that election," Mr Sa’idu said.

"We were the reason he succeeded."

Mr Sa’idu insisted that the political structures he and his team built helped Mr El-Rufai win the governorship elections in 2015 and 2019. The disagreement between Mr El-Rufai and his former allies got worse after the ADC governorship primary.

Mr Ashiru secured 86,113 votes, while Mr Sani got 29,580 votes, finishing second. Mr Sani rejected the results, claiming there were irregularities.

Mr Sa’idu and his associates felt unhappy with what they saw as Mr El-Rufai’s support for Mr Ashiru. They believed he was ignoring their political interests. They also accused Mr El-Rufai’s family and a few close associates of having too much influence over the ADC’s decisions.

In the RFI interview, Mr Sa’idu argued that Mr Sani should have received the ADC governorship ticket. He said the way the situation was handled showed that Mr El-Rufai no longer wanted to work with his former allies.

Mr Sa’idu also claimed that Mr El-Rufai surrounded himself with younger associates while pushing aside those who helped him gain political power. "We cannot allow his family to appoint a candidate for us," he said.

He argued that it was Mr El-Rufai, not his former allies, who caused the breakdown in their relationship. After the fallout, Mr Sa’idu, Mr Sani, and other politicians who once worked with Mr El-Rufai left the ADC and returned to the APC, joining Governor Uba Sani ahead of the 2027 elections.

This shift marks a big change in Kaduna State politics, bringing many former officials of Mr El-Rufai’s government into the camp of his successor. On 17 October in Zaria, Mr Sa’idu officially joined the APC along with Mr Sani, former Senator Suleiman Abdu Kwari, and other political allies.

Mr Sa’idu claimed that his group, Kaduna De-Initiatives, helped build the ADC’s structures statewide but decided to leave due to dissatisfaction with the party’s leadership and choice of candidates. "We built ADC with our strength, sweat and blood, but unfortunately, a few individuals who later joined the party hijacked it," he said.

"We discovered that the party was being teleguided by a family, a situation which we found unacceptable."

Mr Sa’idu also claimed that over 200,000 ADC members and supporters joined the APC through his group, although this number has not been verified. He said his return to the APC was not just his decision but a collective move with supporters across Kaduna State.

He dismissed claims that he and others owe their political relevance to Mr El-Rufai. He shared his experience of being detained for more than 100 days, even spending the Eid-el-Kabir celebration in prison. "I was the first to go to prison. I was detained for more than 100 days, and I celebrated Eid-el-Kabir there. So, who really suffered for whom?" he asked.

Mr Sa’idu's mention of his detention adds another layer to the political conflict. Mr El-Rufai is also in custody, facing investigations and court cases related to his time in office. The allegations against Mr El-Rufai are still awaiting a judicial decision.

Mr Sa’idu and Mr Sani have now joined Governor Uba Sani, whose government is at the center of the political events involving the former governor and his former associates. The political situation became even more intense when former Kaduna North senator Suleiman Hunkuyi urged Governor Uba Sani to keep Mr El-Rufai in custody until after the 2027 governorship election.

Mr Hunkuyi made this statement during the Zaria ceremony that welcomed Mr Sa’idu and other ex-ADC members into the APC. He questioned who was left in Mr El-Rufai’s camp after the defections. Then he addressed Governor Uba Sani, urging him not to release Mr El-Rufai until he secured his political future in 2027. "Please keep him for us. Hold him firmly and do not release him. Keep him securely until you receive your crown in your hands after election, then release him to us," Mr Hunkuyi said, as reported.

These remarks have added to the political drama surrounding Mr El-Rufai’s detention. The former governor’s political opponents and ex-allies are clearly positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections. Mr El-Rufai served as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023 before passing the baton to Mr Uba Sani, his former political ally. Their relationship later soured, creating a significant political split that has changed alliances in the state.

The latest defections highlight the growing competition for political power in Kaduna, where the APC and ADC are preparing for the next governorship election. A member of the El-Rufai family contacted by PREMIUM TIMES declined to comment on Mr Sa’idu’s claim that the family took over the ADC in Kaduna.