Nasir El-Rufai

Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai CON (born 16 February 1960) is a Nigerian politician who served as the governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023.A member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) since November 2025 after his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) which he was one of the founding member, and served as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007 under the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. Quotes We are going to work hard until (February) 27th when all the election results are out and by the grace of God, Asiwaju (Tinubu) is elected and other candidates of the APC; then we will unmask them. I don’t care. The people who think I am a fundamentalist don’t know me; they have never met me; they have formed their opinion. Frankly, the reason why my enemies are very vehement at hating me is because I don’t care what they think. It’s the way I am. I am very comfortable with what I am. I don’t care what you think. Those who work with me know me. When you’re governing 10 million people as I did in Kaduna, you must not discriminate between A and B. Nobody can blackmail me that because he is a Christian, the law doesn’t apply to him. There are people in Southern Kaduna who feel entitled to behave in a certain way, and we didn’t take it; I dealt with them. Some of the closest people I worked with in government are from Southern Kaduna. They know that this is not true. Yes, I believe in Buhari, I still do and I will never stop believing in him. But I no longer believe in the circle around him and the quality of decisions and actions coming out of that leadership. I have had the privilege of working closely with three presidents now and I know how important these inner circles around the president or a governor or any leader for that matter, how important it is to make the right choices of those that are around you all the time. Because those that are around you all the time have a disproportionate influence on your decisions and actions for the simple reason that they are there. This is true in every palace, in every kingdom from the beginning of time. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Kaduna State. Nasir El-Rufai opened his inaugural address after taking the oath of office as Governor of Kaduna State, describing the inauguration as the beginning of a new phase for the state. We seek to build a state that works for everyone, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or place of origin. In outlining his vision for Kaduna State, El-Rufai pledged an inclusive government that would serve all residents without discrimination. Public office is a public trust. El-Rufai emphasized accountability and reminded public officials that holding office is a responsibility owed to the people. The task before us is enormous, but it is not beyond us. The governor acknowledged the challenges facing Kaduna State while expressing confidence that they could be overcome through collective effort. Together, we shall build a peaceful, just and prosperous Kaduna State. El-Rufai concluded the opening section of his inaugural address by calling on citizens to work together toward peace, justice and prosperity. External links Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Nigeria