Why I worked against Jonathan in 2015 – El-Rufai

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has shared reasons behind the political merger that led to the defeat of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections.

Speaking in response to views suggesting that coalitions often target southern presidents, El-Rufai pointed to a mix of political strategy and dissatisfaction within the country at the time.

He said the opposition came together because many believed Jonathan’s administration was not performing well.

He also recalled that Jonathan had earlier promised not to seek re-election in 2015, a move that reportedly caused tension within his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

El-Rufai added that several smaller opposition parties felt they had no choice but to unite in order to survive politically, leading to the creation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, the aim was to stop the PDP from continuing to dominate by isolating and weakening opposition parties during each election cycle.

El-Rufai said the merger was mainly a survival move for opposition parties and not a plan to remove a southern president.

He insisted it was not about regional politics, but about removing a government they believed was not working well.

He said:

“First, the feeling that Jonathan was not governing the country very well. Second, Jonathan made a commitment not to run in 2015 so he had problems even within his own party.

“The third was simply we realized, those of us in small parties, opposition parties at the time, CPC, NPP, ACN, we realized that unless we came together, step by step, election cycle after election cycle, the PDP will be destroying us in bits and pieces.

“So it was an act of self preservation in the first instance for the political parties. That’s why three major political parties decided we must come together.

“There was of course, the feeling that, you know, Jonathan was doing a bad job. Let’s get him out. I don’t think it has anything to do with north or south.”