Former political associates and grassroots supporters of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, have rejected claims that they betrayed him, saying the political relationship between both sides had already broken down before their latest move back to the All Progressives Congress.
The group, operating under the Kaduna De-Initiative, said its members had supported El-Rufai during his political rise, campaigned for him and helped build political structures across Kaduna State.
Their position was signed by former Deputy Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mukhtar Isa Hazo, alongside other former associates and was made available to journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.
The group said its members became increasingly dissatisfied during El-Rufai’s second term as governor due to what they described as exclusion from political and government decision-making, disagreements and a breakdown in trust.
Among those associated with the statement are former Kaduna State Social Democratic Party chairman and four-time House of Assembly member for Ungwan Sanusi Constituency, Nasiru Abdullahi Maikano.
Other members of the group include former commissioners Ja’afaru Sani, Shehu Usman Makarfi and Abdu Kwari, as well as Bashir Saidu, who served as Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and Finance and twice served as Chief of Staff to El-Rufai.
Rejecting claims that they were only seeking political relevance after falling out with the former governor, the group said its members had long been involved in elections and grassroots mobilisation across the state.
“We are not a handful of disgruntled individuals looking for political relevance.
“Our members have contested elections, won and lost elections, mobilised communities and built political relationships across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State.”
The former associates said they did not consider themselves responsible for the collapse of their relationship with El-Rufai.
“We did not abandon El-Rufai; rather, we believe El-Rufai abandoned the political understanding that had bound us together.”
The group traced the worsening relationship to El-Rufai’s second term as governor, alleging that some of his former political associates felt increasingly excluded from decision-making after his re-election in 2019.
They also claimed that members of El-Rufai’s family gradually gained more influence in the administration.
“Our grievance was never that El-Rufai relied on members of his family or trusted associates. The concern was the growing dominance of family interests and the weakening of the wider political structure that had supported the administration.”
According to the group, the relationship had become seriously strained by 2023 and deteriorated further after El-Rufai left office.
The former allies identified the political developments surrounding the 2027 governorship contest on the platform of the African Democratic Congress as the final point of their disagreement.
They said former commissioner Ja’afaru Sani had been regarded within their political camp as the preferred successor and the politician around whom their structure was expected to operate ahead of the election.
“Ja’afaru Sani was the person around whom our political structure was expected to rally for the 2027 governorship contest.”
The group alleged that El-Rufai instead backed Isa Ashiru, a former political rival, during the ADC governorship primary.
“Instead of supporting the political arrangement we had built, El-Rufai chose to support Isa Ashiru, a former political opponent.”
Ashiru later emerged as the ADC governorship candidate after securing 86,113 votes against Sani’s 29,580 votes. Sani rejected the result and alleged irregularities in the process.
The former associates further alleged that El-Rufai’s support for Ashiru was connected to an attempt to maintain political influence under a possible ADC administration.
They also alleged that there was an understanding that two of El-Rufai’s wives would receive appointments if the ADC won the governorship election. The group, however, acknowledged that the claim had not been established by a court or supported by a publicly documented agreement.
The former allies said political support did not permanently bind them to El-Rufai and maintained that both sides were entitled to make independent political decisions.
“Political loyalty cannot be treated as a permanent debt. El-Rufai had the right to make his political choices, and we also have the right to make ours.”
The group also disputed the suggestion that El-Rufai alone built the political structures that helped him win elections in Kaduna State.
“El-Rufai did not create Kaduna politics from nothing. There were politicians, grassroots organisers, former elected officials and established political networks before he emerged as the dominant political figure.”
It cited Bashir Saidu as one of the politicians who was involved in Kaduna politics before El-Rufai’s emergence and later served as a commissioner and Chief of Staff during his administration.
The former associates said their decision to realign politically was not driven by personal hostility or a desire to settle scores with El-Rufai.
“This is not about hatred. It is not about revenge. It is about taking responsibility for our political future and the future of those who have followed us.”
The group said it had accepted Governor Uba Sani’s reconciliation initiative and returned to the APC, with its political structures and grassroots supporters expected to be part of the realignment.
“We have accepted the reconciliation initiative and returned to the APC.
“We are not interested in turning our disagreement with El-Rufai into a personal war. But we will not apologise for exercising our political independence.
“We are adults, and we have made our decision.”
The development marks a political realignment involving several former associates who previously worked with El-Rufai but later became separated from his political camp.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai has remained in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission since February 18, 2026, in connection with an ongoing investigation.
His continued detention has attracted reactions from opposition figures and other political actors, with some calling for his release and questioning the circumstances surrounding his prolonged detention.
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