Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has sent shockwaves through the political establishment, declaring that the struggle to unseat the current administration has officially begun.
In a explosive interview with *BBC Hausa* monitored on Friday morning, El-Rufai claimed that those in power are “uncomfortable” and “restless” over his return to Nigeria, alleging that recent attempts to intimidate him at the airport were born out of fear of his political influence.
### ‘The Struggle Has Just Begun’
El-Rufai, a key strategist in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated that he feels a moral obligation to dismantle the current governance structure because he played a role in its emergence.
“Since I contributed to bringing them into power, I must also contribute to removing them,” El-Rufai said. “Political struggles are just beginning now, because it is the living who engage in struggle. Why are they watching me closely? They know what I am capable of, and they know we can remove them.”
The former governor dismissed reports of corruption allegations against him as baseless propaganda, challenging the government to produce evidence.
“If they had anything against me like they claim to have against others, the matter would have long been settled. I am waiting; whoever invites me, I will go,” he dared.
### On Tinubu and the APC Rift
Clarifying his relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, El-Rufai noted that while they were part of the same party, they never shared a personal political bond.
“I have no problem with Tinubu because we have never had any dealings together. Tinubu is not my person; we have never done politics together,” he explained. “We only met in APC when Buhari came out and won the election. There was an understanding that after Buhari’s eight years, the South-West would be supported, and Tinubu emerged as the beneficiary.”
He further noted that his disagreement with the current administration is purely ideological.
“Our objectives differ. What we are seeing now is not what we envisioned when we stood with this party. They have changed. If your objectives are different from mine, we should part ways peacefully.”
### New Coalitions and the ‘Rescue Mission’
Hinting at a major political realignment, El-Rufai admitted that he is now willing to work with former rivals to “save the country” from what he described as unprecedented hardship and unemployment.
“In the past, we opposed some members of the coalition, but now we must come together, forgive one another, and save this country,” he said, likely referring to recent high-profile visits from figures like Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi.
While he claimed he has no immediate ambition to contest for an elective office, he refused to rule out a future run.
“I do not have the intention to contest for any position now, and I do not know what will happen in the future, because in politics anything can happen within 24 hours. For now, my focus is to contribute to removing this government.”
### ‘They Prefer I Stay Abroad’
Addressing the reported standoff with security operatives upon his return, El-Rufai mocked the administration’s alleged attempts to keep him out of the country.
“As I return home, some people will not be able to sleep. All these efforts to stop me at the airport were empty threats. They know better. They prefer that I stay abroad and not return because they know if we are in Nigeria, we will organize to remove them. And that is exactly what will happen, God willing.”
He concluded by stating that he feels “more energized” by political struggle and is ready for the challenges ahead.
