Obasanjo Says He Rejected El-Rufai As Successor, Chose Yar’Adua Instead

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he declined a proposal to make former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, his successor after leaving office in 2007.

El-Rufai, who served as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under Obasanjo’s administration, was reportedly recommended for the presidency by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka.

Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform symposium, Obasanjo recounted how Chidoka lobbied for El-Rufai to succeed him when he was preparing to leave office.

“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, referring to Chidoka.

The elder statesman then turned to Chidoka and asked, “No be so (Is that not true)?” to which Chidoka nodded in confirmation.

Obasanjo continued, “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.’”

Obasanjo eventually backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his successor, a decision that marked the transition of power in 2007.