“I’m Pained We Supported Tinubu Despite His Cocaine, Certificate Forgery Scandals” – El-Rufai

Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has expressed deep regret for supporting President Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition, despite being aware of longstanding allegations of cocaine trafficking and certificate forgery linked to the president.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai admitted that he and others backed Tinubu with the hope that he would replicate his governance achievements in Lagos at the national level, despite the controversies surrounding him.

“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well, because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges,” El-Rufai said.

Referring specifically to Tinubu’s past, El-Rufai added, “We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”

Tinubu’s alleged involvement in a drug trafficking case resurfaced in 2022 after he announced his presidential bid. Documents from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois revealed that Tinubu forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government in 1993 following investigations into narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

In the same year, his academic credentials were also challenged. Opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar filed a case in the U.S. seeking to compel Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records, raising allegations of certificate forgery.