El-Rufai Breaks Silence on Friends’ Silence, Says He Bears No Resentment

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has addressed the silence of some of his former colleagues, friends and associates amid his current circumstances, saying he does not resent those who have chosen not to publicly support him.

In a statement titled “My Relationships and the Aftermath,” El-Rufai said he had received concerns about the apparent silence of people he had previously supported or maintained close relationships with.

The former governor said his decision to stand by people and causes over the years had been guided by his Islamic faith, his Arewa upbringing, personal values and conscience. He maintained that his support was not based on expectations of praise, gratitude or reciprocity.

El-Rufai said those he had supported were equally entitled to make their own decisions now that circumstances had changed. He noted that while some might speak in his support, others could remain silent or distance themselves from relationships they previously shared.

According to him, the reasons behind such decisions belonged to the individuals involved, and he did not want to judge them simply because their responses differed from what he or others might have expected.

The former governor said the difficult period had also given him an opportunity to reflect on his relationships. He said adversity could reveal the nature of relationships and that the experience of recent months might lead him to quietly reassess some of them.

El-Rufai stressed that such reassessment should not be interpreted as condemnation or reproach. He said he had no regrets about supporting people or causes whenever he believed it was the right thing to do and added that he bore no resentment towards those who chose not to support him in the same way.

He also said he was not seeking revenge over what he described as perceived injustice, ingratitude or injury against him, leaving what he described as ultimate accountability to Almighty Allah. El-Rufai concluded that his priority was to remain at peace with his conscience and his faith.

El-Rufai has previously accused the Tinubu administration of what he described as a political witch-hunt. The source material also states that he has spent 220 days in detention.