I’m Pained We Supported Tinubu Despite His Cocaine Trafficking, Certificate Forgery Scandals – El-Rufai

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed his disappointment over Bola Tinubu’s shortcomings, stating that he and others backed Tinubu’s presidential bid despite being aware of his past controversies, including allegations of cocaine involvement and certificate forgery.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai admitted that despite Tinubu’s troubled history, he supported him in hopes that he would replicate his governance successes from Lagos State on a national scale.

“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,” Mr El-Rufai said in the interview published on Saturday. 

Referring to Mr. Tinubu’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking and certificate forgery, Mr. El-Rufai stated, “We were aware of his issues in Chicago, but we believed that if he could replicate his achievements in Lagos on a national scale, he deserved our support. However, he failed.”

Mr. Tinubu’s connection to a drug trafficking case resurfaced after he announced his presidential bid in 2022.

READ ALSO: We Are Ready To Sack Tinubu In 2027– SDP Chieftain Declares

The case, which led to his forfeiture of $460,000 to the U.S. government in 1993, drew renewed scrutiny.

That same year, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois released documents detailing Mr. Tinubu’s interactions with U.S. authorities regarding allegations of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Additionally, controversy over Mr. Tinubu’s academic credentials gained traction when opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar petitioned the court to compel Chicago State University to release his academic records, fueling accusations of certificate forgery.

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