El-Rufai Admits Knowing About Tinubu’s Chicago Records, Says He and Others Supported Him Regardless
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that before the 2023 presidential election, political leaders—including himself—were fully aware of the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic records in the United States but still backed him, hoping he would replicate his achievements in Lagos at the national level.
El-Rufai, who has since defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and turned into a fierce critic of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Tinubu-led government, made the revelation in an interview with BBC Hausa.
“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in, thinking it would do well, has failed us. We all knew about his issues in Chicago, but we believed that if he could replicate what he did in Lagos for Nigeria, then let’s support him. However, he has failed,” El-Rufai said.
Calls for Political Realignment
The former governor also made a bold call for opposition unity, urging key political figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in preparation for future elections.
“What I want and pray for is for all opposition leaders — Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola — to join the SDP,” he stated.
Denies Betraying Atiku
Responding to accusations of betrayal, particularly towards former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, El-Rufai defended his political decisions, stating that he aligns with performance, not personal loyalty.
“I never betrayed Atiku. We didn’t even meet in politics; we met at work. If I see that he didn’t do well, I will tell him. I told Buhari when he was wrong, and I even took him to court over the naira redesign policy. I choose leaders based on competence, not ethnicity or personal ties,” he added.
Tinubu’s Chicago Controversy Resurfaces
The controversy over Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University (CSU) became a major issue in 2023, with alleged discrepancies in his identity and certificates.
While CSU confirmed that Tinubu graduated from the institution, it also stated that the diploma he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not issued by them, raising further questions about its authenticity.
El-Rufai’s revelations, coupled with growing discontent within the APC, have fueled speculation about a political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
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