‘Why I Rejected el-Rufai as My Successor in 2007’ — Obasanjo Reveals

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that he declined a proposal to support former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, as his successor in 2007, saying the latter needed more time to mature politically.

Obasanjo made the revelation on Friday during the second annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. The event was themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance.”

He explained that Osita Chidoka, a former Minister of Aviation, had recommended el-Rufai for the presidency at the end of his administration, but he turned down the suggestion.

“El-Rufai was a brilliant young man,” Obasanjo said. “But at the time, I believed he needed more years to gain experience and maturity before taking on the highest office in the land.”

El-Rufai, who served as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2003 and 2007, was one of Obasanjo’s key allies during his tenure.

Ultimately, Obasanjo endorsed the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his preferred successor, who went on to win the 2007 presidential election.