Zulum’s Aide Explains Why El Rufai Met Borno Governor Amid Rumours About 2027 Presidency
- The immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai attended an event in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on Monday, April 15
- Legit.ng reports that El-Rufai's appearance in the northeast state triggered political ambition talks
- However, a representative of the Borno government, said El-Rufai was a speaker at a capacity enhancement workshop for senior government officials of the state
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance in Nigeria.
Maiduguri, Borno state - Fatima Mohammed Abbas, the senior special assistant (SSA) to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno, has said Nasir El-Rufai was officially invited by the state government for a capacity-building workshop.
Abbas said the former Kaduna state governor was invited to the workshop which was intended to enhance the skills of the government officials in policy implementation and productive human resources management in Borno state.
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Source: Twitter
The governor's aide's clarification followed a claim by Daniel Bwala, the spokesperson of the defunct Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, that El-Rufai's visit to Prof Zulum was "a diversionary tactic".
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Abbas wrote on her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, April 15:
"H.E Mallam Nasir Elrufai was officially invited by Borno state Govt for capacity building workshop on enhancing skills of the government officials in policy implementation and productive human resources management in Borno state."
Legit.ng reports that although El-Rufai has not confirmed that he will contest for the Nigerian presidency, speculations often follow his visits to associates and members of the opposition.
The 64-year-old has been linked to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Bwala was one of those who shared the claim.
Messrs El-Rufai and Zulum are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
El Rufai's rumoured presidential aspiration: Expert speaks
Reacting to the intrigues related to the 2027 presidency, a political analyst, Segun Akinleye, said for now, rumours concerning El Rufai "remain a speculation".
Akinleye, however, pointed out that it is within El Rufai's constitutional rights to contest if he wishes to.
The analyst told Legit.ng:
"Being a smart person that he (El Rufai) is, I don't believe he will (contest). He will support Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's second term in 2027 and wait for when the baton of power will shift to the North to test his might.
"To put this into context, he was the one who championed the 'power must return to the south', during the last election that produced Asiwaju. So, I expect him to bid his time and wait till 2031. However, in politics, you really never can tell."
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- “A clear case of betrayal”: Suspended Kaduna APC women leader blasts Sani for criticising El-Rufai
- El Rufai’s visit to SDP: "Dynamics are shifting", SDP party chairman says
El-Rufai visits top APC governor
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that amid defection rumours and alleged presidential ambition, El-Rufai visited Borno state.
El-Rufai is in the state for a key engagement with the Borno state government.
Muyiwa Adekeye, the media adviser to El-Rufai, confirmed this development in a post shared on his X account, noting that the former governor will be speaking at the capacity-building workshop of the Borno state government.
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Source: Legit.ng
