El-Rufai Dismisses Defection Rumours, Threatens Legal Action

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has refuted allegations of plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  The claims surfaced online, suggesting he was set to obtain PDP membership in Kaduna. READ ALSO: President Tinubu Appoints Eight New Permanent Secretaries El-Rufai labeled the reports as false and stated that legal action would be taken against those spreading the misinformation.  This follows lingering speculations about his political future, which began after his ministerial nomination was stalled in 2023 due to Senate concerns over security clearance. Additionally, ongoing investigations into his administration’s financial dealings and perceived tensions with his successor, Uba Sani, have fueled political rumors. 

Tony Elumelu Speaks On Contesting Presidency 

Nigerian banker, Tony Elumelu has stated that he is not interested in becoming the President of Nigeria. Elumelu who is the founder of the Tony Foundation disclosed this on Friday while answering questions at the unveiling of the beneficiaries of its prestigious Entrepreneurship Programme in Lagos. The Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) said he is not aspiring to become the president because everyone cannot lead the country. “And now do I want to run for president, I will say all of us can not be president. We support and that is why we support those in office and share ideas on how we can make Nigeria a better place. We are strong on advocacy,” he said. Speaking further, the Nigerian businessman said that he is proud of what the foundation has been accomplished in the 10 years since its inception. He said: “These 1,104 young men and women from 54 African countries will each receive a non-refundable $5,000 seed capital. “We believe in spreading luck, we believe in democratizing luck, we believe in prosperity, and we think that the easiest way to spread prosperity in Africa is by identifying our young ones, encouraging them and helping them to start their own businesses. This is why we have done this. “So, I’m happy that today, we continue to spread that prosperity- not just in Nigeria, not just in our family, but in all 54 African countries. I am indeed happy that in our lifetime, we are able to impact the next generation.”