Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai this afternoon joined President Muhammadu Buhari for juma’at prayer inside the Presidential Villa mosque.
Buhari and El-Rufai both later returned to the president’s official residence.
Also at the mosque were Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun as well as Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali and Federal Capital Territory Minister Mohammed Musa Bello.
Others were the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu as well as Senators Abu Ibrahim and Kabiru Marafa.
El-Rufai had not been sighted at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa since President Buhari returned from a medical vacation in the United Kingdom on March 10.
The governor had, in a damning and blunt memo dated September 22, 2016 and addressed to the president, suggested a surgical operation on the entire gamut of the federal government so that the ruling All Progressives Congress would not leave the country worse than it met it.
He had specifically alleged that the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, were constituting a clog in the wheel of Buhari’s administration’s progress.
El-Rufai had explained that his warning was necessary as his political fate was "uncannily tied" to Buhari’s, saying "If you do well, I stand to benefit immensely. If you do not do well sir, whatever I do in Kaduna matters little to my present and any future political trajectory."
Addressing State House reporters after meeting with Buhari on Friday, el-rufai said nobody could stop him from visiting the Villa.
He was responding to a question on the insinuation that some powerful forces at the Presidency had barred him from visiting the nation’s seat of power.
The governor, however, noted that there "are people in the Villa who like me and there are people in the Villa who don’t like me. It is normal.
He said his relationship with President Buhari remained cordial, explaining that he believed people should allow Buhari recover fully.
El-Rufai also stated that he was shocked that his recent memo to the Buhari leaked from the Presidency.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
