Former President Muhammadu Buhari has spoken after a former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, said he backed his defection from their party, All Progressives Congress, to the Social Democratic Party.
The spokesman of the former president, Garba Shehu, spoke on his behalf in a statement on his X handle, a day after El-Rufai’s claim.
The former Kaduna State Governor had said in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday: “Justice has been kept at bay, those who worked for the party were ignored instead of being compensated.
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“If there is any position or appointment, they give it to a Lagos boy, etc.
“That is why we’ve been speaking, we spoke, we said this is not the party we know.
“The party is dead.
“I said the only option is for me to meet Pastor Tunde Bakare because he dragged me into APC.
“He took me to Buhari.
“I did not join the APC because of Buhari.
“It was Pastor Bakare, who dragged me to APC and courtesy demands I should let him know.
“Buhari too, I told him I was leaving the party.
“I sought his blessings and prayers.
“He said he has given me his blessings and prayers.
“We are the ones in politics.
“He (Buhari) is now father of the land and has been praying for us.
“So what remains?
“I’ve publicly denounced my membership of the party.
“They can go and hold on to the party.
“They can eat the party alone like food.
“We’ve given up.”
Reacting to the claim by El-Rufai, despite the fact that he refrained from mentioning any name, Buhari said in the statement by Shehu on his X handle on Thursday: “Without referring to any individual, cast of characters, or issues, principles and ideals currently being discussed by Party leaders at various levels, former President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated what he’s said times without number, that he is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) @OfficialAPCNg, and would like to be addressed as a loyal member of the party.
“He says he wants to leave no one in doubt that he would never turn his back on the Party that gave him two terms of office, and would do whatever he can to popularise it.”
Shehu quoted Buhari as having said: “I am an APC member and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularise the party by all means.”
The statement continued: “He went on to add that at present, he has nothing but gratitude for the support that the Party gave him before and during his tenure as President, which he considers as the highest honour, and would never ask for anything more.
“He further stated that the pains taken by the founding fathers to establish a strong party to protect our constitution, and democracy as a system of government, are worthy sacrifices that should be cherished and nurtured.”
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