A former governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai has revealed that they supported the Presidential ambition of President Bola Tinubu in 20223 despite being aware of his Chicago certificate forgery and other sordid pasts.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports in the build up to the 2023 general election, Mr Tinubu’s alleged fake Chicago certificate dominated discourse.
The issue was also subjected to judicial adjudication after the election.
But according to a video of an interview conducted with BBC Hausa released on Saturday, Mr El-Rufai said they thought Mr Tinubu could replicate his performance as Lagos State when elected.
He however expressed regret despite the support, Mr Tinubu has failed woefully.
“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well, because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges. We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”,Mr El-Rufai.
Mr El-Rufai also appealed to prominent opposition leaders to join the SDP to salvage the country.
“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 added.
The former governor also said, contrary to insinuations, he never betrayed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
While recalling the political feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr Abubakar, the former minister of FCT, said those who worked with Mr Obasanjo at the time believed he was right.
“I never betrayed Atiku Abubakar because we didn’t meet in politics; we met at work. In work, if I see that he didn’t do well, whoever he is, I will tell him. I told Buhari, and I even took Buhari to court on the new naira issue.
“When Obasanjo and Atiku were having issues, those of us working with Obasanjo looked at the issues between them and said Obasanjo was more right. It was not about north and south; Obasanjo was right. Atiku and I are now together, and if I betrayed him, why are we together now,” he queried.
