Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and his successor, Governor Uba Sani, of plotting to destroy his political career. El-Rufai claimed that the two were working together to eliminate him as a potential threat to Ribadu’s alleged plan to run for president in 2031.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Monday evening, El-Rufai described Uba Sani—whom he had supported to become governor—as his biggest enemy.
“Uba Sani is not my friend. He is working with Ribadu against me,” El-Rufai stated.
The former governor alleged that Ribadu had a grand plan to sideline all northern politicians who could challenge him in the future.
“Somebody wants to destroy my reputation. Why? Nuhu Ribadu wants to be president in 2031. He has to eliminate every northerner that he thinks is on the radar,” he said.
There have been speculations that El-Rufai himself might contest for the presidency in 2031, but he did not confirm or deny this during the interview. Instead, he insisted that Ribadu and Sani were behind a coordinated effort to tarnish his image.
“This project of destroying Nasir El-Rufai is Nuhu Ribadu’s conception. He is the architect and builder of that project. He is working with Uba Sani to implement it. So far, it has been frustrating for them,” he alleged.
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Efforts to get a response from Ribadu regarding these accusations were unsuccessful, as he did not immediately return requests for comment.
El-Rufai also expressed his disappointment with President Bola Tinubu, claiming that he was deliberately excluded from the president’s cabinet.
“The National Assembly had nothing to do with it. President Tinubu didn’t want me in his cabinet,” he said.
El-Rufai had initially been nominated as a minister by Tinubu, but his confirmation was blocked by the Senate over security concerns. Since then, he has maintained a low profile in national politics.
His recent statements highlight growing tensions among top political figures in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 and 2031 elections. Many political observers believe that the struggle for power within the APC is already taking shape, with key players positioning themselves for future contests.