Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, revealed that he and other politicians knew about the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University records After leaving the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on March 10, 2025, El-Rufai has been actively seeking alliances with key political figures Amid speculations that he plans to contest for president in 2027, El-Rufai stated that the decision lies with the party and the electorate.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that he and other political figures were aware of the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University before supporting his 2023 presidential bid.
El-Rufai made this disclosure during an interview with the BBC, stating that despite the concerns, he and others backed Tinubu, believing he could replicate the developmental strides he achieved as Lagos State governor.
Reflecting on the decision to support Tinubu, El-Rufai explained that their primary focus was on his capacity to deliver results rather than past controversies.
“We were all aware of the Chicago issue, but we believed if he could govern Nigeria the way he transformed Lagos, it would be in the country’s best interest, so we supported him,” he said.
El-Rufai’s comments come shortly after he announced his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his move to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on March 10, 2025. His exit follows growing dissatisfaction with the APC’s leadership and governance style. Read more: https://www.legit.ng/nigeria/1645471-el-rufai-finally-speaks-tinubus-chicago-result-scandal-details-emerge.
El-Rufai seeks political alliance for 2027 Since joining the SDP, the former governor has been actively engaging political figures across party lines, urging them to align ahead of the 2027 elections, Punch reported. He has held discussions with Pastor Tunde Bakare and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola, both of whom were previously close allies of Tinubu. El-Rufai has also extended invitations to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to join the SDP in what appears to be a broader political realignment ahead of the next election cycle.
Amid growing speculation that he is positioning himself for a presidential bid in 2027, El-Rufai dismissed the notion that his defection to the SDP was a calculated move for personal ambition, Vanguard reported. He stated that the decision on who contests in the next election would ultimately be made by the party and the electorate. “It is not my decision to make. The party and the people will determine who should run. Even when I contested for governor, it was people who convinced Buhari, and he called on me to run,” El-Rufai stated.
