El-Rufai allies deny betrayal claims, rejoin APC

Summary

Former allies of Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna have rejected claims that they betrayed him and said they are returning to the APC after a reconciliation push by Governor Uba Sani.

Highlights

• The group, under Kaduna De-Initiative, said it supported and defended El-Rufai before relations broke down over alleged marginalisation and loss of trust.
• It said the split deepened after El-Rufai’s second term and worsened after he left office, with politics around the 2027 governorship race also cited as a factor.
• The allies said they are returning to the All Progressives Congress because of Governor Uba Sani’s reconciliation initiative and a need to take responsibility for their political future and supporters.
• Former Kaduna Assembly Deputy Speaker Mukhtar Isa Hazo signed the position, alongside other associates including former SDP chairman Nasiru Abdullahi Maikano and former commissioners.
• The group rejected being described as disgruntled politicians seeking relevance and said it had built political structures across Kaduna’s 23 local government areas.