Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has disclosed that prior to the 2023 presidential election, political leaders were aware of the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago, United States, yet they chose to support him.
He expressed hope that Tinubu would emulate his “achievements” in Lagos on a national scale.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai, who has been vocally critical of the All Progressives Congress and the Tinubu government since his defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), acknowledged that he and other political figures backed Tinubu despite the controversy, believing he could lead Nigeria effectively.
“What pains me is that we supported a government we believed could perform well, based on Tinubu’s track record in Lagos despite his challenges. We were aware of his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his successes in Lagos for Nigeria, we should support him. Unfortunately, he failed,” El-Rufai stated.
The former governor also called for a political realignment, urging opposition leaders — including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola — to unite under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“My hope and prayer are for all opposition leaders — Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola — to join the SDP,” he said.
In response to allegations of betraying Atiku, El-Rufai defended his political decisions, asserting that his choices were based on performance rather than personal ties.
“I never betrayed Atiku Abubakar; we did not meet in politics but in a professional context. If I perceive that he hasn’t done well, I will be honest, regardless of who he is. I have conveyed my concerns to Buhari and even took him to court over the new naira issue. When Obasanjo and Atiku were at odds, we, working with Obasanjo, assessed the situation and concluded that Obasanjo was more justified. It was not about regional loyalties; Obasanjo was right. Atiku and I are now together, so if I betrayed him, why are we united now?” he added.
El-Rufai’s statements follow his defection to the SDP amid rising discontent within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), amid speculation that prominent figures are contemplating a political realignment before the 2027 elections.
The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s credentials from Chicago State University resurfaced in 2023 when discrepancies regarding his identity and academic certificate were alleged.
In response to a deposition, Chicago State University stated that the diploma submitted by Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not issued by them.
However, CSU insisted that Tinubu did graduate from their institution and provided a transcript reportedly belonging to the Nigerian president.
