OBASANJO reveals why he rejected EL-RUFAI as his successor

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president, has stated that he turned down Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, as his successor.

During the Obasanjo administration, El-Rufai served first as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

From 2003 until 2007, he served as the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) Minister.

When he left office in 2007, Obasanjo opted to support the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his successor.

Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the second edition of the annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform, Obasanjo revealed that former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, had recommended El-Rufai as his successor.

“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said refering to Chidoka.

Turning to Chidoka, Obasanjo asked, “No be so (Is that not true)?”

Chidoka nodded his head in agreement.

Obasanjo then added: “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needs to mature. You remember?

“When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”