Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he turned down suggestions to endorse former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as his successor in 2007.
Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform symposium themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance,” Obasanjo recalled how former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, had pushed for El-Rufai to succeed him.
“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 told the audience, turning to Chidoka who nodded in confirmation.
The former president said he declined the recommendation, insisting that El-Rufai “needed to mature.”
“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 came back and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”
Obasanjo, however, praised both men for their “special attributes,” noting that they were part of the driving force behind his administration.
On the theme of leadership, Obasanjo lamented the lack of structured grooming in Nigerian politics.
“It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is apprenticeship. But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”
Chidoka, in his keynote address, blamed Nigeria’s problems on what he described as “excuses and the politics of alibi.”
“Leadership finds its true measure not in speeches or charisma but in the systems it leaves behind. Moral conviction must translate into governance—rules, routines, and institutions that make competence predictable and corruption difficult,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to hold leaders accountable through measurable systems that track promises, budgets, and outcomes.
Convener of the event, Aare Olanrewaju Bakinson, said the symposium aimed to examine how leadership shapes development and the moral responsibilities that come with power.
“Leadership is not just about power; it’s about responsibility, vision, and service,” he said.
