El-Rufai: I will contest for another office if Buhari insists

Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has said he is taking a break from public office after his eight-year tenure but might reverse the decision.

When asked by Channels Seun Okinbaloye about the rumours of an Rotimi Amaechi/El-Rufai presidential ticket, the Kaduna governor insisted he was not willing to run for any office again. “I’ve said over and over that I’m not a contestant for any office. I’m not aspiring for anything,” El-Rufai said. “If Governor Rotimi Amaechi is interested in running for any office, he has the right to do so. But I’m not running for anything and I’m not going to be on his ticket.” “I’m physically tired because I do take my work seriously. For the last eight years, I’ve worked myself flat out and I’m not young anymore,” El-Rufai said. He said if President Buhari prevails on him to contest, he will first explain to him why it is not “such a good idea”. El-Rufai, however, said he may run for another office if Buhari insists. “I’ll be 63 next year. So I prefer to look at other options to contribute to the development of my country but of course, I didn’t want to run for governor but the President insisted. So if he insists that I do something I have so much regard for him and his judgement that I’ll do it even reluctantly.” Prior to that, EL-Rufai disclosed that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election will come from southern Nigeria. The Kaduna State governor, however, said the decision on which part of southern Nigeria to produce its candidate will be decided by the regional caucus within the party and believes the APC will win a lot of governorship seats.

Ebonyi State governor Dave Umahi and Senators Rochas Okorocha and Orji Uzor Kalu, all from the South East, have also indicated intentions to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. [GuardianNG]

Was this worth your time?

#El Rufai#Elections#President Buhari

About the author

Chief Editor

FridayPosts publishes independent reporting, expert interpretation and practical ideas for decision-makers in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

Reader conversation

0 approved comments

No approved comments yet. Add the first thoughtful response.

El-Rufai: I will contest for another office if Buhari insists

Chief Editor

Reader conversation

More on this story

Peter Obi's Blocked Benue Visit: What Political Intolerance Could Mean for Nigeria's 2027 Election

State Police Is Moving from Debate to Design: The Safeguards Nigeria Needs Before Roll-out

The September Power Bill Is Also a Reliability Question

NERC’s September 2026 MYTO Documents and Energy Caps: What Nigerian Electricity Customers Should Check

Latest from FridayPosts

FridayPosts 50: The 50 Things Nigeria’s Education System Must Get Right Before 2030

Olu Jacobs Did More Than Act: What His Generation Built for Nollywood

Top 10 Products Nigeria Should Be Selling More of to African Countries

Can Nigeria Turn University Sport Into a Pipeline for Olympic Athletes and Professional Careers?

What readers are choosing

Tinubu, Osinbajo raise alarm over plots by alleged propagandists

Biography of Reverend Olusola Ayodele Areogun

Maximizing His Presence

Understanding Your Season: Discovering the Secret to Generational Influence

Make FridayPosts part of your information advantage.