Former Kaduna State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed as false a viral report alleging that he stated which region should produce Nigeria’s president in the 2027 general election.
The claim, which circulated widely on social media, alleged that El-Rufai said it was the turn of the South to produce the next president and further suggested that he was backing the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Reacting on Monday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, El-Rufai described the report as “untrue,” insisting that he never made such remarks in any forum.
“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. This claim is untrue, despite its virality,” he said.
The former governor stressed that he did not express such views in any of his speeches, media interviews, or posts on his verified social media platforms, noting that he communicates his opinions directly and openly through those channels.
El-Rufai also faulted the practice of attributing to him opinion articles written by other authors, even when he shares such pieces online for the purpose of contributing to national discourse.
“It is 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 stated.
Describing the incident as an example of irresponsible politicking and the deliberate spread of misinformation, El-Rufai warned against giving credibility to platforms that propagate fake news.
“These clarifications are crucial as we confront both irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media for the spread of fake news,” he said.
He urged media professionals, editors, and the general public to verify information before publishing or sharing it, warning that society suffers when media leaders and influencers fail in their duty to uphold accuracy.
“In this age of turmoil and falsehood, the obligation to verify information before posting or publishing has become more important than ever,” El-Rufai added, lamenting that some senior editors appeared to have ignored this responsibility.
He concluded by reiterating that no views should be attributed to him unless they are explicitly expressed on his official social media platforms or during interviews with reputable media organisations.
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