Malam Nasir El-Rufai has acknowledged that he and other politicians backed President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election despite being aware of the controversy surrounding his Chicago State University academic records. In an interview with the BBC, the former Kaduna State governor stated that they supported Tinubu’s candidacy, believing he would replicate his achievements as Lagos State governor. “What pains me is that the government we supported, and have confidence will do well. We know what Tinubu did in Lagos, we are all aware about his Chicago, but we said if he can do the same as he did that will make Lagos great, we will support him,” he said. After criticizing President Tinubu’s administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Nasir El-Rufai left the party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on March 10, 2025. Since joining the SDP, El-Rufai has been rallying other politicians to join him in an effort to challenge the APC in the 2027 elections. As part of his political strategy, the former governor recently met with Pastor Tunde Bakare and former Tinubu ally, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. He has also called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to join the SDP. Addressing speculation that his defection is a move to contest for the presidency in 2027, El-Rufai stated that the decision rests with his party and the people. “It is not for me to decide, it is the party and the people that will decide. “Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest,” he said.