‘No Northern Politician Did Much For Your Emergence As El-Rufai, Forge A New Alliance With Him’ – Buhari’s Ex-minister Tells Tinubu

Former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has advised President Bola Tinubu to forge a new alliance with former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

Naijaonpoint reports that El-Rufai, a close ally of Tinubu, resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2025, joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

El-Rufai cited a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision, but the presidency claimed that the former Governor is aggrieved over the failure to get a ministerial appointment.

However, there have been insinuations that the Northern region plans to ambush and give President Tinubu the ‘Goodluck Jonathan’ treatment in 2027.

Speaking on the political situation, Shittu, in an interview with Punch, asserted that no Northern politician did much to support Tinubu’s emergence, as El-Rufai, and the latter deserves fair treatment for supporting the President.

He said, “Well, I am convinced that to the North in general, President Tinubu has been sufficiently equitable, but one thing that I believe is happening with regards to El-Rufai is that I keep remembering the pivotal role he played in getting the North to support a Tinubu’s presidency. I mean, there’s no running away from that fact. We know also that Tinubu really courted his support with promises that he would be brought into governance.

“So, when we see what has happened, naturally as a human being, El-Rufai will be disappointed. For me as an individual, and I’m speaking the truth in accordance with my conscience, I don’t see any northern politician who did much more for Tinubu’s emergence as El-Rufai. I don’t see it, and I’m being fair because being a very courageous person, when other people were not sure of supporting Tinubu, he came out boldly agitating and mobilising.

“You also recall that at a stage, he took the Buhari government to court when they were playing pranks about money redesign and all of that. So, I think that President Tinubu should try and forge a new alliance with him. It is very important, and it is only fair. To whom much is given, much more is expected. I think he should be rehabilitated and brought in. It is better to make more friends than allow your friends to become enemies.”