Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has firmly denied viral reports suggesting he endorsed a specific region, particularly the South, to produce Nigeria's next president in 2027, labeling the circulating statements as "fake news" designed to misrepresent his views amid escalating political jockeying. In a direct rebuttal on December 15, 2025, El-Rufai clarified via social media that he never specified any zonal preference for the presidency, distancing himself from fabricated quotes attributed to him in outlets claiming he urged southern dominance or ruled himself out of the contest.
The controversy erupted after outlets like The Eagle Online ran stories alleging El-Rufai advocated for southern rotation post-Tinubu's term, prompting his swift disavowal and accusations of deliberate misinformation to stir ethnic tensions ahead of primaries. He emphasized focusing on national competence over regional quotas, echoing past predictions of Tinubu facing stiff 2027 challenges while rejecting any personal pivot from earlier Atiku alignments or self-imposed northern candidacy bars.
This episode fuels Nigeria's zonal power-sharing debates, with El-Rufai's denial highlighting misinformation risks in a polarized landscape where figures like him remain pivotal influencers despite no confirmed 2027 ambitions.