Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has expressed regret over supporting President Bola Tinubu, despite being aware of his past controversies, including allegations of cocaine trafficking and certificate forgery.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai admitted that he and others backed Tinubu’s presidential bid, hoping he would replicate his achievements as Lagos State governor on a national scale.
“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.
Referencing Tinubu’s past legal troubles, he 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 drug trafficking resurfaced in 2022 when documents from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois detailed his 1993 forfeiture of $460,000 to the U.S. government over narcotics-related allegations.
His Chicago State University certificate controversy further made headlines when opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar sought a U.S. court order compelling the university to release Tinubu’s academic records.
