THIS DAWN — Former Kaduna State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has formally denied claims circulating on social media and in parts of the online press that he publicly endorsed a particular region to produce Nigeria’s president in the 2027 general election.
In a statement dated December 15, 2025, El-Rufai described the reports as “fake news”.
He said the comments attributed to him were never made in any speech, interview, or post on his verified social media platforms.
“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 is an untrue claim, despite its virality,” El-Rufai said.
The clarification follows a widely shared report referencing a post by ADC News on X (formerly Twitter).
It quoted El-Rufai as saying he had ruled himself out of the 2027 presidential race because it was “the turn of the South” and that he would instead contest in 2031.
The post generated tens of thousands of views and sparked renewed debate about zoning and power rotation within opposition political circles.
“Wrong, improper” to attribute opinions
In his rebuttal, El-Rufai stressed that only statements directly issued by him through his personal social media accounts or during verifiable interviews with established media organisations should be considered authentic.
“I have my own verifiable platforms on social media where I speak my mind and own my opinions,” he said.
He added that it was “wrong and improper” to attribute opinions to him simply because he may have shared opinion articles by other authors as part of broader national discourse.
El-Rufai further criticised what he described as the growing irresponsibility in political reporting and social media commentary.
He warned that the deliberate attribution of false claims to public figures undermines democratic debate.
“These caveats are crucial as we confront both irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media for spreading fake news,” he stated.
He also took aim at sections of the media, suggesting that some senior editors failed in their professional duty to verify information before publication.
“In this instance, a few senior editors seem to have ignored this duty.
“Society loses if media leaders join the most irresponsible actors on social media in the unedifying olympics of fiction and fakery,” El-Rufai said.
ADC mum on zoning
The ADC has not issued a separate statement on the controversy.
However, party officials have previously maintained that zoning is not a settled issue within the party and that consultations on its 2027 strategy are ongoing.
Political observers note that El-Rufai’s denial adds a new dimension to the debate, particularly as opposition parties and coalitions weigh their options ahead of the next election cycle.
Discussions about power rotation remain prominent in Nigeria’s political space.
However, El-Rufai’s statement makes clear that he does not accept responsibility for views he says were falsely attributed to him.
The development has renewed calls from media analysts and civil society groups for stricter adherence to verification standards, especially as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 polls.
