El-Rufai: I'm not pursuing politics- just righting a wrong I helped cause

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El-Rufai: I’m Not Pursuing Politics—Just Righting a Wrong I Helped Cause




Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that he holds no political ambitions, but is instead driven by a sense of responsibility to help fix what he calls a national disaster—one he feels complicit in due to his past support for President Bola Tinubu.

“I have no personal ambition,” El-Rufai said in an interview on Arise Television. “But since I played a role in bringing about this hardship by backing Tinubu, I feel compelled to help remove what I now see as a dangerous regime that could ruin Nigeria if left unchecked.”

Speaking during the Monday interview, El-Rufai revealed that he is now working with an opposition coalition that plans to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 elections. He said the group is considering both adopting an existing party and forming a new one as possible platforms for the contest.

“You can’t go into battle with only one strategy,” he said. “From the beginning, we agreed to explore both existing political platforms and also look into registering a brand-new party.”

According to El-Rufai, many coalition members prefer the idea of a new party, claiming the ruling APC has infiltrated and destabilized opposition parties like the Labour Party, PDP, and NNPP by planting agents.

“A new party wouldn’t come with baggage or sabotage,” he said. “The government is actively undermining opposition groups by funding and empowering internal divisions.”

He also questioned the independence of INEC under its current leadership, suggesting the electoral body may not approve the registration of a new party.

“Many of us don’t believe INEC, under Mahmood Yakubu, will register a new party,” El-Rufai said. “This isn’t like the era of Jega and Jonathan. Still, we’ll attempt it—to expose how compromised and controlled the system has become.”

El-Rufai said he supports the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as a strong platform for the coalition due to its historical credibility and broad appeal, but noted the final choice will be a collective decision.

“I believe the SDP is ideal—it has the right legacy, structure, and even emotional appeal. But the decision must be made together. I’ll work toward unity on one platform.”

On whether a presidential candidate has been picked, he said it's premature to discuss that, as forming a united party is the priority.

“You first need a party. Each party has its constitution and process. Right now, no one in the coalition is campaigning for themselves, which gives me hope. The focus is on fixing the country.”

He also dismissed the idea that prominent names within the coalition are necessarily motivated by personal ambition.

“Just because someone is well-known doesn’t mean they want to run for office,” he said. “Everyone involved just wants to rescue Nigeria from the current path and restore it.”

El-Rufai, who previously supported both Buhari and Tinubu, admitted he now regrets the outcome of both administrations.

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