Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed regret over his support for President Bola Tinubu, admitting that he was disappointed by Tinubu’s failure despite the former governor’s belief in his potential. Speaking in an interview with the press, El-Rufai revealed that he supported Tinubu’s presidential bid despite being aware of his controversial past, including allegations of cocaine trafficking and certificate forgery.

El-Rufai explained that his support was motivated by Tinubu’s successes as Lagos State governor, despite facing significant challenges. “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 stated.

Reflecting on Tinubu’s past, El-Rufai acknowledged the public knowledge of Tinubu’s involvement in the Chicago drug trafficking case, which led to his forfeiture of $460,000 in 1993. El-Rufai admitted that despite this, he believed Tinubu could replicate his achievements in Lagos on a national scale, saying, “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.”

The scandal surrounding Tinubu’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking resurfaced in 2022, as new court documents revealed his encounter with U.S. authorities over narcotics trafficking and money laundering. Additionally, Tinubu’s certificate forgery case came to light, with opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar challenging the release of Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University in court.

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