| schema:text
| - A former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, appeared recently on Arise TV to discuss his political future, including his views on the current state of the nation and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
This is likely his first formal LIVE TV interview since he left public office as Kaduna governor in May 2023.
Recall that after Tinubu was sworn in as the Nigerian president in May 2023, he nominated 48 people for ministerial positions including El-Rufai. But the Senate rejected the former governor and two others, citing security reasons.
READ THIS: How El-Rufai’s arrest during 2013 Anambra election spurs misinformation online in 2023
Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, explained that the rejected nominees would be subjected to further security checks, urging them to take the matter to Tinubu.
After his rejection by the Senate, El-Rufai later told the president that he was no longer interested in being a minister.
During the live interview, El-Rufai addressed speculations about his strained relationship with President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and what led to his failed attempt to work with the current administration.
This fact-check examines the veracity of some of the claims he made during the Arise TV interview.
CLAIM 1
I have never said a word about Tinubu’s administration.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MOSTLY FALSE, as he has made few remarks about Tinubu-led Nigerian government since his failed ministerial bid.
For instance, Premium Times reported on April 15, 2024 that he advised Tinubu to drop any of his appointees who failed to deliver on his mandate.
El-Rufai said this when he spoke with journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital urging the president to also explore the possibility of amending some of his policies that were not yielding the desired results.
He was quoted as saying “You appointed a person into a position and he is not working according to the expectation, you should have the humility to tell him that I need a better person, go and do something else.”
El-Rufai during an altercation with Daniel Bwala, a presidential media aide, on X also made some comments indirectly directed at Tinubu’s presidency.
For instance, he described Bwala and others working as Tinubu’s aides as “latter-day converts” to the government and took a swipe at some pro-government voices, alleging that certain individuals were being paid from security votes to defend the administration’s actions online, PUNCH reported.
He further stated that had he remained in the Tinubu government, his criticisms would have remained unchanged.
“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I will say or do the same on the tragedy within a party I was a founder, and the government that emerged from it—first in private sessions with those concerned, and then go public if no remedial actions are taken. Go and check my public service record from 1998,” he stated.
THE VERDICT
The claim that El-Rufai has never made any public comment on Tinubu’s administration is MOSTLY FALSE; findings show instances where he made remarks directed at the Tinubu presidency.
CLAIM 2
APC as a party has not met for 2 years.
THE FINDINGS
Checks by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MOSTLY TRUE.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) last convened a national-level meeting in August 2023, thus making it 18 months since the party held the meeting.
This was when its former chairman, Abdullahi Adamu and Secretary, Iyiola Omisore were forced to resign their positions, with Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Ajibola Bashiru endorsed to pilot the affairs of the party.
Meanwhile, the APC on February 25, 2025, held its National Caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. This was followed by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on February 26, 2025 at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
THE VERDICT
The claim that APC has not held NEC meeting in the last two years is MOSTLY TRUE.
CLAIM 3
Anybody above 35 with a secondary certificate is qualified to be president.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub revealed that the claim is MOSTLY TRUE.
The 1999 Nigerian Constitution stipulates specific criteria for presidential eligibility.
This requires that the individual must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, have attained the age of 35 years (reduced from 40 years by the “Not Too Young to Run” Act in 2018), be a member of a political party and sponsored by that party, and have been educated up to at least the Secondary School Certificate level or its equivalent.
THE VERDICT
The claim that anybody above 35 with a secondary school certificate is qualified to be president is MOSTLY TRUE. While it reflects the age range and educational requirements, it omits the necessity for the candidate to be a member of a political party and be sponsored by that party. Independent candidacy is not currently recognized for the presidential position in Nigeria.
CLAIM 4
APC constitution states that if there is going to be a convention meeting of the party there should be 14 to 21 notices sent across.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is TRUE.
The Article 25 (B) (i) and (ii) of the APC constitution states that “The National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-third of the members of the National Executive Committee provided that not less that fourteen (14) days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned.”
THE VERDICT
The claim that the APC constitution provides that there should be 14 days or more before the NEC meeting is TRUE.
CLAIM 5
Kaduna State earned about ₦900 billion in 8 years and the National Assembly claims 45% disappeared.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE
The Kaduna State House of Assembly’s ad-hoc committee has been actively investigating alleged financial misappropriations during El-Rufai’s administration from 2015 to 2023.
In June 2024, the committee presented a report accusing the El-Rufai administration of siphoning approximately ₦423 billion and recommended further investigation into these allegations.
ALSO READ: No, EFCC did not raid Bello El-Rufai’s residence
According to the report, it revealed that the total revenue (Loans, FAAC, IGR, Grants, Refunds and Intervention) received by the Kaduna State Government from May 29, 2015 to May 29, 2023 amounted to N1.4 trillion and $758.1 million.
THE VERDICT
The claim that Kaduna state earned ₦900 billion is FALSE; findings show that the state earned ₦1.4 trillion and $758.1 million during the period.
CLAIM 6
ICPC has been inviting people from the El-Rufai-led government for the alleged missing ₦423 billion and two persons have been charged over missing N64 million and N115 million respectively.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is HALF-TRUE.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) on January 16, 2025 announced the arraignment of three officials of the El-Rufai administration as part of the ongoing investigation of alleged ₦423 billion embezzlement.
The report indicted three ex-appointees are Lawal Shakiru Olajimi Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to former governor, El-Rufai, the Ex-Accountant General of Kaduna State, Umar Waziri, and Yusuf Inuwa, the former Finance Commissioner in the state.
Lawal and two others were accused of diverting the total sum of ₦64,800,562 (Sixty-Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand, Five-hundred and Sixty-two Naira) to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited where Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.
ICPC had already arraigned a former Chief of Staff and Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State, Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, over a money laundering suit.
The ICPC, in a two-count charge, also filed before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, accused Saidu of accepting a cash payment of ₦155,000,000 from Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer in the Ministry of Finance.
According to this report, three of his former appointees were arraigned not two persons as El-Rufai claimed. Also, the second person was charged over missing ₦155 million higher than the figure he mentioned.
THE VERDICT
The claim that two persons were arraigned and were charged with ₦64 million and ₦115 million respectively is HALF-TRUE; findings show that three of his former aides were arraigned while the figure for which one of them was charged is ₦155 million which is higher than the ₦115 million claimed by the former governor.
CLAIM 7
EFCC has investigated and found nothing incriminating from the El-Rufai-led administration.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub revealed that the claim is UNPROVEN.
As of February 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not officially confirmed any active investigation into the El-Rufai-led administration.
However, multiple petitions have been submitted to the EFCC and the ICPC concerning alleged financial misappropriations during El-Rufai’s tenure, the Vanguard reported.
In December 2024, rumours circulated about an EFCC raid on the residence of El-Rufai’s son, Bello, alleging the discovery of large sums of money and drugs. Both the EFCC and Bello El-Rufai denied these claims, labelling them as false and misleading respectively.
THE VERDICT
The claim that the EFCC has investigated the El-Rufai-led administration and found nothing incriminating is UNPROVEN; despite receiving multiple petitions, EFCC is yet to release any information regarding its investigations on the former governor. Most importantly, it is unclear if the anti-graft agency found anything incriminating in its investigation.
CLAIM 8
El-Rufai donated 50% of his salary to government coffers in his first administration.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is TRUE.
Upon assuming office as the Governor of Kaduna State in May 2015, Nasir El-Rufai announced a 50% reduction in his and his deputy’s salaries.
According to Daily Trust, this decision was driven by the state’s challenging financial situation, characterized by significant debts and limited resources. Then, El-Rufai emphasized the importance of leading by example, stating that such personal sacrifices were necessary to inspire collective efforts toward economic recovery and development.
DON’T MISS THIS: Fact-checking multiple claims by El-Rufai at ministerial screening
Also in April 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, El-Rufai implemented salary reductions for public servants and political appointees to address the financial challenges posed by the pandemic. Senior government appointees, including commissioners, permanent secretaries, special advisers, and heads of agencies, experienced a 50% salary cut.
THE VERDICT
The claim that El-Rufai donated 50% of his salaries to the state government is TRUE; as media reports corroborated this claim.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)