James Adamu, Abuja
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a strong rebuttal to a viral claim attributing to him a statement on which region should produce Nigeria’s president in 2027.
In a statement released on Monday morning, Mr El-Rufai categorically denied making any such declaration, labelling the trending report as “fake news” and chastising media editors for failing to verify the story before amplifying it.
“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 is an untrue claim, despite its virality. I did not say so in any of my speeches, interviews or social media posts”, the former governor stated.
Mr El-Rufai, known for his outspoken views, emphasised that his opinions are only verifiable through his official channels. He outlined a strict criterion for attributing statements to him, warning against the conflation of shared content with personal opinion.
“I wish to reiterate that no views may be attributable to me unless those I explicitly express on my social media platforms or during interviews with respected media platforms. It is also wrong and improper to attribute to me opinion articles from other authors which I may post on my handles as a contribution to the national conversation”, he asserted.
The statement took a pointed aim at the media’s role in spreading the allegation. Mr El-Rufai argued that the “wilful attribution” by a “fake news platform” should not have been treated seriously by established news outlets, accusing some senior editors of neglecting their fundamental duty.
“In this age of turmoil and falsehood, the always important obligation to verify before posting has become ever more crucial. In this instance, a few senior editors seem to have ignored this duty. Society loses if media leaders join the most irresponsible actors on social media in the unedifying olympics of fiction and fakery. Everyone should live up to their responsibility”, he wrote.
The rebuttal comes amidst heightened political scheming and speculation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with zoning and power rotation expected to be a central and contentious theme.
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