Amid Rumours of Interest in 2023 Presidency, Zulum’s Aide Discloses Why El Rufai Met Borno Governor

Maiduguri, Borno state – Fatima Mohammed Abbas, the senior special assistant (SSA) to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno, has said Nasir El-Rufai was officially invited by the state government for a capacity-building workshop....CONTINUE READING

Abbas said the former Kaduna state governor was invited to the workshop which was intended to enhance the skills of the government officials in policy implementation and productive human resources management in Borno state.

The governor’s aide’s clarification followed a claim by Daniel Bwala, the spokesperson of the defunct Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, that El-Rufai’s visit to Prof Zulum was “a diversionary tactic”.

Abbas wrote on her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, April 15:

“H.E Mallam Nasir Elrufai was officially invited by Borno state Govt for capacity building workshop on enhancing skills of the government officials in policy implementation and productive human resources management in Borno state.”

Legit.ng reports that although El-Rufai has not confirmed that he will contest for the Nigerian presidency, speculations often follow his visits to associates and members of the opposition.

The 64-year-old has been linked to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Bwala was one of those who shared the claim.

Messrs El-Rufai and Zulum are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that amid defection rumours and alleged presidential ambition, El-Rufai visited Borno state.

El-Rufai is in the state for a key engagement with the Borno state government.

Muyiwa Adekeye, the media adviser to El-Rufai, confirmed this development in a post shared on his X account, noting that the former governor will be speaking at the capacity-building workshop of the Borno state government.