El-Rufai’s former Chief of Staff denies betraying him as he claims former Kaduna Governor used his construction to win elections

Bashir Saidu, a former Chief of Staff to ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has denied betraying his former principal following their political break up. Speaking in an interview with RFI Hausa, Saidu stated their relationship prolonged past politics to household ties, however alleged that he and different former allies left as a result of they felt undervalued.

His feedback adopted El-Rufai’s reported criticism that some individuals he had supported throughout tough durations had deserted him. The former governor is at present in detention. Saidu maintained that he and El-Rufai collectively constructed the political construction that helped the previous governor attain workplace.

He additionally cited his personal durations in custody, saying he had spent 50 days in jail on one event and one other 54 days after his bail was revoked. “I also spent the last Eid-Adha in prison. It is an outright lie to say we abandoned him,” he stated. Saidu alleged that the breakdown of their relationship arose after they concluded that their loyalty was not being reciprocated.

“We learnt the person we submitted to did not value us. We moved where we are valued,” he stated.

He dismissed criticism from individuals he stated didn’t perceive the depth of his relationship with El-Rufai. “Those making the noise are not familiar with my relationship with Mallam. It has graduated to family level,” he added.

Saidu additional claimed that he was amongst those that persuaded El-Rufai to enter politics, noting that his personal political involvement dated again to the Social Democratic Party in the course of the period of Moshood Abiola. He named a number of political figures whom he stated have been acquainted with that historical past, together with Professor Ango Abdullahi, Madakin Zazzau and San Turaki Babba.

The former chief of workers additionally disputed claims in regards to the energy of El-Rufai’s political construction, arguing that his affect was overstated and that the previous governor remained indebted to his former allies. On the disagreement over political succession, Saidu stated his group had been working to safe the candidacy of Malam Jaafaru with out figuring out that El-Rufai had already chosen one other candidate.