Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai still owes his former political associates for the role they played in building the political structure that helped him win elections, his former Chief of Staff, Bashir Saidu, has claimed.
Saidu insisted that El-Rufai did not single-handedly build the political machinery that brought him to power, arguing that several associates had been active in politics long before the former governor joined them.
Speaking during an interview with RFI Hausa, Saidu dismissed allegations that he and other former allies betrayed El-Rufai by withdrawing their political support.
According to him, the former governor benefited from a political network they jointly established, adding that those now accused of abandoning him had made significant sacrifices for their political struggle.
‘We begged him to join politics,’ Saidu declared.
He recalled that his involvement in politics dated back to the era of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
Saidu mentioned Professor Ango Abdullahi and other prominent political figures as people familiar with the history of their political activities.
He also challenged the perception that El-Rufai personally controlled the political structure associated with his rise to power, maintaining that the contributions of his associates could not be overlooked.
The former Chief of Staff further rejected claims that he abandoned El-Rufai during difficult times, recounting his own experiences of detention and imprisonment.
According to him, he was arrested on New Year’s Eve and spent 50 days in prison before being released.
He said he was subsequently taken through several court proceedings until his bail was revoked, resulting in another 54 days behind bars.
Saidu also recalled spending the last Eid-el-Adha celebration in prison.
‘It is an outright lie to say we abandoned him,’ he insisted.
He explained that the disagreement arose after some associates became convinced that their loyalty and sacrifices were no longer appreciated.
Saidu maintained that his relationship with El-Rufai had developed beyond politics into a family-level association, making the allegations of betrayal particularly troubling.
He also disclosed that disagreements over political succession contributed to the breakdown of their alliance.
According to him, members of their political camp were supporting Malam Jaafaru as their preferred candidate in Kaduna without knowing that El-Rufai had already settled on another candidate.
The former Chief of Staff’s remarks followed El-Rufai’s recent complaint that some people he supported during difficult periods had turned their backs on him.
Saidu, however, maintained that the decision to part ways was driven by dissatisfaction with how the former governor treated his political associates.