“I Never Said 2027 Presidency Should Go to Southern Nigeria” — El-Rufai Dispels Viral Tweet

Kaduna State former governor and ex-FCT Minister Nasir El-Rufai has denied reports suggesting he said the 2027 presidency should go to Southern Nigeria. The clarification came after a tweet by ADC News (@AdcNews_) claimed El-Rufai had stated, “I refused to contest in 2027 because it is the turn of the South.” The tweet, which had garnered over 57,000 views by Saturday night, also included a comment praising him for “keeping to agreements.”

El-Rufai stressed that only statements made explicitly on his verified social media accounts or during interviews with recognised media outlets should be attributed to him. He further clarified that sharing opinion pieces from other authors on his platforms does not imply endorsement.

“The wilful attribution to me of claims I did not make by a fake news platform is no excuse to treat such platforms with any seriousness,” El-Rufai said, emphasizing the importance of verification in an era of widespread misinformation. He noted that some senior editors failed to uphold this responsibility, allowing false narratives to spread online.

El-Rufai reiterated that the reports circulating were false, stating, “I did not say so in any of my speeches, interviews or social media posts. I have my own verifiable platforms on social media where I speak my mind and own my opinions.”

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has indicated that zoning is not a priority for the party at this time. The party currently has three potential presidential candidates: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the North, and Peter Obi and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from the South.