Buba Galadima has accused President Bola Tinubu of political ingratitude toward former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, arguing that the former governor is now experiencing the consequences of the same political system he once helped shape.
Galadima’s comments reopen one of the more consequential political fallouts within Nigeria’s ruling establishment, the deterioration of relations between Tinubu and El-Rufai after the 2023 presidential election.
El-Rufai was a prominent APC figure during the 2023 campaign and publicly supported Tinubu’s presidential bid. He later fell out with the administration, became increasingly critical of its policies and eventually left the APC for the Social Democratic Party.
A RELATIONSHIP THAT CHANGED AFTER 2023
The political relationship between the two men has since moved from cooperation to open disagreement. El-Rufai has repeatedly denied that he was ever personally close to Tinubu.
In February 2026, he said his support for Tinubu in 2023 was political rather than based on friendship, insisting that party loyalty influenced his decision to work for the APC candidate.
His criticism of the administration has since become sharper, particularly over economic policy, governance and what he described as a departure from principles he believed the APC represented.
The former governor is also facing legal proceedings and has challenged actions taken against him in court. In one recent case, he sued the Attorney-General of the Federation, ICPC and Inspector-General of Police over an alleged unlawful search of his Abuja residence. The defendants have disputed his claims.
Against that background, Galadima’s intervention has added a political interpretation to El-Rufai’s current difficulties.
GALADIMA’S ARGUMENT
Galadima argues that El-Rufai contributed significantly to the political coalition that produced Tinubu’s victory in 2023 but was subsequently abandoned.
His criticism is essentially about political loyalty and reciprocity, although those are matters of political judgment rather than facts that can be objectively measured.
ValidViewNetwork reports, Galadima’s remarks come at a time when the Tinubu-El-Rufai disagreement has become part of the wider struggle over alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
El-Rufai himself has previously said that adversity has shown him which relationships were genuine. In September, he said he bore no resentment toward people who had chosen not to stand by him, adding that ultimate accountability belonged to God.
The wider political question is whether the dispute represents a personal disagreement or a deeper realignment of northern political forces ahead of 2027.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Tinubu-El-Rufai relationship illustrates how quickly political alliances can change after elections. Supporters may remember past contributions differently, while those in power may prioritise current political calculations.
ValidViewNetwork reports, the accusations by Galadima should therefore be understood as political commentary rather than an established finding of wrongdoing by the President.
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Ultimately, political disputes are best tested through evidence, public records and democratic accountability rather than personal accusations. The 2027 contest will provide voters with an opportunity to judge competing claims and political records for themselves.