Obasanjo Finally Reveals Why He Rejected El-Rufai as His Successor in 2007.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has opened up on why he refused to choose former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as his preferred successor when he was leaving office in 2007.
Speaking at the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform Annual Symposium held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo disclosed that El-Rufai was one of his trusted aides during his administration.
However, he turned down the suggestion to make him president because he believed the former FCT Minister was “not yet mature enough” to handle Nigeria’s leadership at the time.
According to Obasanjo, the idea was pushed to him towards the end of his administration, but he refused to yield, insisting that El-Rufai still had a lot to learn before being ready for such responsibility.
The former president made the revelation while reacting to a speech by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who delivered the keynote address at the event.
Chidoka had recalled how El-Rufai introduced him to Obasanjo at age 34; a meeting that later led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Interrupting Chidoka’s remarks, Obasanjo said with a smile, “Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that when I was leaving government, he was pushing that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor.” Turning to Chidoka, he added jokingly, “No be so?” to which Chidoka nodded in agreement.
Obasanjo continued, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he asked why I didn’t agree, and I told him El-Rufai needed to mature. Many years later, after seeing his performance, he came back to me and said, ‘You were absolutely correct — El-Rufai needed to mature.’”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has opened up on why he refused to choose former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as his preferred successor when he was leaving office in 2007.
Speaking at the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform Annual Symposium held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo disclosed that El-Rufai was one of his trusted aides during his administration.
However, he turned down the suggestion to make him president because he believed the former FCT Minister was “not yet mature enough” to handle Nigeria’s leadership at the time.
According to Obasanjo, the idea was pushed to him towards the end of his administration, but he refused to yield, insisting that El-Rufai still had a lot to learn before being ready for such responsibility.
The former president made the revelation while reacting to a speech by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who delivered the keynote address at the event.
Chidoka had recalled how El-Rufai introduced him to Obasanjo at age 34; a meeting that later led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Interrupting Chidoka’s remarks, Obasanjo said with a smile, “Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that when I was leaving government, he was pushing that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor.” Turning to Chidoka, he added jokingly, “No be so?” to which Chidoka nodded in agreement.
Obasanjo continued, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he asked why I didn’t agree, and I told him El-Rufai needed to mature. Many years later, after seeing his performance, he came back to me and said, ‘You were absolutely correct — El-Rufai needed to mature.’”
Obasanjo Finally Reveals Why He Rejected El-Rufai as His Successor in 2007.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has opened up on why he refused to choose former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as his preferred successor when he was leaving office in 2007.
Speaking at the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform Annual Symposium held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo disclosed that El-Rufai was one of his trusted aides during his administration.
However, he turned down the suggestion to make him president because he believed the former FCT Minister was “not yet mature enough” to handle Nigeria’s leadership at the time.
According to Obasanjo, the idea was pushed to him towards the end of his administration, but he refused to yield, insisting that El-Rufai still had a lot to learn before being ready for such responsibility.
The former president made the revelation while reacting to a speech by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who delivered the keynote address at the event.
Chidoka had recalled how El-Rufai introduced him to Obasanjo at age 34; a meeting that later led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Interrupting Chidoka’s remarks, Obasanjo said with a smile, “Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that when I was leaving government, he was pushing that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor.” Turning to Chidoka, he added jokingly, “No be so?” to which Chidoka nodded in agreement.
Obasanjo continued, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he asked why I didn’t agree, and I told him El-Rufai needed to mature. Many years later, after seeing his performance, he came back to me and said, ‘You were absolutely correct — El-Rufai needed to mature.’”
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