El-Rufai knew of Tinubu's controversy before supporting him

Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai revealed he and other politicians were aware of President Bola Tinubu's Chicago State University records controversy before supporting his 2023 presidential bid. El-Rufai stated their focus was on Tinubu's potential to deliver results. El-Rufai recently left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and is seeking alliances with various political figures for the 2027 elections. He has engaged with former allies of Tinubu and invited other prominent politicians to join the SDP. Despite speculation about his presidential ambitions, El-Rufai emphasized that the decision on candidates for the next election will be made by the party and the electorate. Meanwhile, the SDP's youth coalition has rejected his defection, accusing him of pursuing a personal agenda.