Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he declined a proposal to endorse Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna, as his successor in 2007.
El-Rufai served as the director-general (DG) of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and later as minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) between 2003 and 2007 when Obasanjo was the president of Nigeria.
However, while preparing to leave office at the end of his second term, Obasanjo supported the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his successor.
Speaking on Friday during the second annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance”, Obasanjo said Osita Chidoka, former minister of aviation, had recommended el-Rufai to succeed him.
According to the former president, he rejected Osita’s recommendation because el-Rufai needed more time to mature.
Chidoka was the keynote speaker at the event and had spoken about how the former FCT minister introduced him to Obasanjo at the age of 34, which later culminated in his appointment as the corps marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Obasanjo interjected Chidoka’s presentation and told the audience the part he had left out.
“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, el-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said, turning to Chidoka for confirmation, which the former minister acknowledged.
“I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person; why didn’t you agree?’ I said el-Rufai needs to mature. You remember? When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of el-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”
Obasanjo praised Chidoka and el-Rufai for their “special attributes”, which he said were instrumental to his government’s achievements.
On leadership, the former president stressed the importance of character, exposure, experience, and training.
He lamented the absence of formal leadership training in politics, contrasting it with other fields where apprenticeship is common.
“It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is apprenticeship. But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough,” Obasanjo said.
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