Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, on Monday denied claims circulating on social media that he had specified which region of Nigeria should produce the president in 2027.
El-Rufai addressed the issue via his verified Facebook page, describing the reports as “fake news” and stressing that he did not make such statements in any speech, interview, or social media post.
He clarified that his opinions should only be attributed to him when expressed on his official social media accounts or through interviews with recognised media platforms.
El-Rufai also warned against misattributing opinion articles from other authors that he may share, noting that such actions distort the national conversation.
“These caveats are crucial as we confront both irresponsible politicking and the deliberate misuse of social media for spreading fake news,” he said.
El-Rufai further criticised media platforms and senior editors who fail to verify information before publishing, describing such lapses as contributing to the “unedifying olympics of fiction and fakery” on social media.
“The wilful attribution to me of claims I did not make by a fake news platform is no excuse to treat such platforms with any seriousness,” he added, urging society to uphold the responsibility of accuracy in reporting.
The former governor concluded by emphasising the importance of verifying information before dissemination, particularly in an era marked by misinformation and deliberate falsehoods.
