Obasanjo disclosed this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance.”
He revealed that former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, had recommended El-Rufai to be his successor, but he refused.
Under the Obasanjo’s administration, El-Rufai served first as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and later as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007.
While exiting power in 2007, Obasanjo backed the late President Umar Yar’Adua as his successor.
Chidoka, who was the keynote speaker at the event, recalled how El-Rufai recommended him to Obasanjo at the age of 34, a move that brought him closer to the presidency and eventually led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Addressing the gathering, Obasanjo playfully taunted Chidoka for omitting the El-Rufai story.
“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.
Facing Chidoka, who sat among the panelists, Obasanjo asked, “No be so? Meaning is that not true?”
The former minister nodded his head in agreement.
Obasanjo went on to explain that he brushed aside the recommendation of El-Rufai as his successor because he felt his former minister needed to mature.
The former president added, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needed to mature. You remember? When I left the 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, however, applauded Chidoka, El-Rufai, and others for their “special attributes,” which he said were the driving forces of his administration.
Speaking further on the theme of leadership, the former president emphasized the importance of character, exposure, experience, and training as the hallmarks of good leadership.
He said, “It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is an apprenticeship. But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”
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