El-Rufai Denies Endorsing Any Region, Person For 2027 Presidency

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has debunked reports claiming that he declared which region of Nigeria should produce the president in 2027, describing the viral claims as “fake news” and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

Recall that reports circulating on social media had alleged that the former governor, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said it was the turn of the South to produce the next president and that he was backing Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In a statement released on Monday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, El-Rufai categorically denied making such comments, warning Nigerians against spreading unverified information.

“My attention has been drawn to a trending fake news item alleging that I specified which region of the country should produce the president in 2027,” he wrote.

“This claim is untrue, despite its virality. I did not make such a statement in any of my speeches, interviews or social media posts. I maintain verifiable social media platforms where I speak my mind and express my personal views directly.”

El-Rufai further cautioned against attributing to him opinion pieces or commentaries written by others, even when shared on his official pages.

“It is also wrong and improper to attribute to me opinion articles written by other authors, even when I share such articles on my platforms as contributions to the national conversation,” he said.

Condemning what he described as “irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media,” the former governor urged journalists and the public to uphold the ethics of verification before publication or sharing.

“These clarifications are crucial as we confront both irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media for the spread of fake news,” El-Rufai noted.

“In this age of turmoil and falsehood, the obligation to verify information before posting or publishing has become more important than ever. In this instance, it appears that some senior editors ignored this duty.”

He warned that society suffers when media professionals fail to verify facts and instead “align with the most irresponsible actors on social media.”

“Society stands to lose when media leaders align with the most irresponsible actors on social media in what can only be described as the unedifying Olympics of fiction and fakery. Everyone must live up to their responsibility,” he said.

El-Rufai concluded by urging the media and the public to rely only on his verified statements.

“I wish to reiterate that no views should be attributed to me unless I have explicitly expressed them on my official social media platforms or during interviews with reputable media organisations,” he said.