Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, has distanced himself from comments suggesting he plans to contest the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement on Tuesday, Muyiwa Adekeye said the former Kaduna governor did not authorise the remarks attributed to a political associate.
“Malam Nasir el-Rufai wishes to dissociate himself from comments regarding political aspirations which have been attributed to someone described by the media as a political associate. He did not authorise such comments,” the statement reads.
Hayatudeen Lawal Makarfi, a loyalist of Nasir El-Rufai, had said Bola Tinubu will hand over power to the former Kaduna governor by May 29, 2027.
He made the remark while speaking to journalists at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, shortly after el-Rufai was granted bail.
Makarfi said el-Rufai is set to contest the 2027 presidential election, adding that preparations toward the bid are already underway.
Adekeye said el-Rufai is known for directly expressing his views and would not delegate such responsibility to third parties.
“Throughout his public life, Malam Nasir el-Rufai has been known for the frank articulation of his views. He is not about to outsource the expression of his political views and thoughts to others,” he said.
The aide added that any official communication from el-Rufai would come directly from him or through authorised channels.
“His public communication would continue to be issued directly by him or through his authorised spokesperson,” the statement added.
