Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has admitted to what he called a track record of poor judgement in backing presidential candidates, urging Nigerians not to rely on his political endorsements ahead of the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai, who once supported both President Muhammadu Buhari and current President Bola Tinubu, made the comments during an interview with Arise TV on Monday.
He distanced himself from the Tinubu administration and took responsibility for helping bring what he now describes as “the worst government in Nigeria’s history” to power.
When asked why Nigerians should trust his judgement again ahead of the 2027 general election after backing Buhari in 2019 and Tinubu in 2023, El-Rufai responded, “Don’t trust what I say. It looks like I’m not very good at picking successful presidents, so don’t trust me. If I say vote for Charles, you’re going to look at your situation, look at yourself, and ask yourself whether the person that I’m campaigning for or the person that I’m supporting to be president will be better than what you have now. Human affairs and life are all about relativity. You have to ask yourself, will this man do a better job? When we supported Bola Tinubu, we were under the impression that he would do better.”
El-Rufai also denied claims that he is upset for not being appointed a minister in President Tinubu’s government.
He said Tinubu publicly begged him to join the cabinet, forcing him to change his plans and even pause his PhD studies, noting that he never formally asked for the position and is actually relieved it didn’t happen.
The former governor said, “I think God saved me from the embarrassment of having to explain to be part of this disaster. Okay, so I’ve never thought twice about it. I never sought to be Minister. I was 20. I was a minister 20 years before. That’s nothing. Tinubu begged me to be a minister, to serve in his cabinet. He requested me to change my personal life plans… I had to put my PhD on hold.
“Tinubu begged me publicly; the videos are there to serve in his cabinet. He requested me to change my personal life plans. Okay? So those that are saying it is because he dropped me. How can I be unhappy about something that I never sought, which was actually an imposition on me? I had to change my plans. I had to put my PhD on hold. I had to do many things because of his request. So it has not happened. It has not happened. I’m grateful to God that it has not happened because I don’t have to explain to Nigerians why electricity is this way. You know, the economy is going this way; the extension is going that way. And so I don’t have to explain that.”
