Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed as false reports alleging that he commented on which region should produce Nigeria’s president in 2027.
The viral claim, which circulated widely on social media, suggested that El-Rufai said it was the South’s turn to produce the next president and that he was backing Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Reacting on Monday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain described the report as fake and misleading, stressing that he never made such remarks.
“My attention has been drawn to a trending fake news item alleging that I specified which region of the country should produce the president in 2027. This claim is untrue, despite its virality,” El-Rufai said.
He clarified that he had not made any such statement in his speeches, media interviews, or on any of his official social media platforms, noting that his views are always expressed directly and publicly through verified channels.
El-Rufai also criticised the practice of attributing opinion articles written by others to him simply because he shared them online, describing it as wrong and improper.
“These clarifications are crucial as we confront both irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media for the spread of fake news,” he said.
The former governor warned that the spread of false information poses a serious threat to public discourse, urging journalists, editors and social media users to verify claims before publishing or sharing them.
“In this age of falsehood, the obligation to verify information before posting or publishing has become more important than ever,” he added, lamenting what he described as the failure of some media professionals to uphold basic journalistic standards.
El-Rufai concluded by urging the public to disregard any views attributed to him unless they are expressed through his official platforms or during interviews with reputable media organisations.