Former Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai has said that his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was done after he got approval from former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“He [Buhari] was well aware. I visited him on Friday and told him I was leaving the APC. He gave me his blessings and prayed for me. He said politics is now for us because he has become like a father to all.
“There is no decision I take without informing him. Even when I was governor of Kaduna State, when I was appointing commissioners, I first took a list of my nominees to him to see whether any of them had abused him in the past.
“After going through the list, he said it was okay and gave me his blessings. Whatever I want to do, I must seek his advice,” El-Rufai told the BBC Hausa service.
When asked if he has a godfather in politics, El-Rufai said that there are people he goes to for advice.
“What is godfatherism? I have those I go to for advice before doing anything. If they ask me to leave or suspend something, I will do that
“My first godfather is Muhamamdu Buhari. I won’t mention the names of the others because if I do, people will disturb them,” he said.
Asked if he regretted supporting the election of President Bola Tinubu, El-Rufai said “I didn’t regret my decision, but somehow I feel as if I was taken by surprise.”
