Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South senatorial district, has stated that he is sometimes tempted to gloat over the ongoing rift between President Bola Tinubu and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting it represents karmic justice for El-Rufai's political maneuvers before the APC presidential primaries.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, Ndume, who served as Director-General of Rotimi Amaechi's presidential campaign, revealed that El-Rufai had initially pledged support to Amaechi before switching allegiance to Tinubu.
"El-Rufai was supposed to be on our side but somehow, he moved over. And I think these are part of the things that are annoying or frustrating him," Ndume stated. "He was on our side. Amaechi's side. Before Tinubu was nominated, he made up his mind to support Tinubu."
The Political Fallout
Ndume recalled that during Amaechi's consultation visit to Kaduna State, El-Rufai publicly declared his intention to work with the former Rivers governor. However, the former Kaduna governor later changed his position after Tinubu made a similar visit.
"Tinubu, as he rightly said, said that he [El-Rufai] should not leave and that he should come on board, join the government," Ndume explained. "So since then, I've not been that close to El-Rufai because he abandoned our group. He was on our side but went to support Tinubu fully. You know, he really mobilized. He did a lot of things."
The Borno senator admitted to feeling a sense of vindication over El-Rufai's current predicament, stating, "But sometimes, I'll say, 'okay o, you did that to us, it's payback to yourself'."
From Ministerial Nominee to Opposition
Ndume also referenced El-Rufai's failed ministerial screening, noting, "I was the Chief Whip. El-Rufai came to the chamber [for ministerial screening] and we almost like told him to take a bow and go..."
BenriNews recalls that after his electoral victory, President Tinubu nominated El-Rufai for a ministerial appointment, but the former Kaduna State governor was rejected by the Senate. El-Rufai has since left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and has become a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration.
The ongoing political drama highlights the fluid nature of alliances within Nigeria's political landscape and the potential consequences of shifting loyalties during critical electoral periods.
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