Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Sunday declared that his successor, Senator Uba Sani, is not his friend, despite playing a key role in his emergence as governor in 2023.
El-Rufai, 65, dismissed reports of a falling-out, insisting that although he does not speak with Governor Sani, there is no personal rift.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the former Federal Capital Territory Minister said: “No, he is not my friend. He was my boy, my mentee. We have not fallen out. I still don’t speak with him.”
El-Rufai stressed that his greatest pride lies in mentoring and elevating others, but he would not stay silent when leaders “derail.”
He further alleged that Governor Sani orchestrated last Saturday’s attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) transition committee inauguration in Kaduna. According to him, evidence links the governor to the violence, which police allegedly witnessed without intervening.
“I have evidence; Kaduna State Governor is behind Saturday’s attacks. I will submit evidence to the IGP and other authorities if they care to investigate,” he said.
The former governor, now a key figure in the opposition coalition aligned with the ADC, condemned Nigeria’s “collapsed policing system” and accused security operatives of ignoring assaults on opposition politicians.