By Shamsudeen K. Bello
Nigeria stands at a critical crossroad. With clouds of uncertainty and upcoming critical decisions that would make or mar its future; the 2027 presidential election is not a routine political event – it is an existential choice. Today, I write deeply of my choice, either as a hobby or perhaps as an illumination for those seeking to take a nationalistic stand. My choice is Mallam Nasir Ahmad Elrufai. Why?
Age and Antecedent:
Born in February of 1960, El-Rufai will be 67 at the time of the 2027 election – not old- by the moot global standards, but approaching my conception of the natural ceiling of peak Nigerian-governing stamina: 70. He is currently at his intellectual, cognitive, experience and physical crest for the demands of the presidency. Just as I feel like ‘Emilokan’ itself, should have been an earlier project. History rewards timely action; it does not wait. Sometimes I contemplate if age is one of the spoilers why Nigerians are picking the right candidates, but at the wrong time.
We see how our parents and Grandparents today cope to remember names and carry out basic chores and movements that were simply a routine before. They revert to being like babies, at the mercy of their caregivers; physically and sometimes, even intellectually. In fact, I think we need a ‘Too old to run bill’, but that’s a topic for another day. Now, imagine that that your Grandpa becomes the President of a country like Nigeria. Then imagine his selfish caregiver and how much power he would yield while de-facto leading the country astray.
There is no seat Mallam has sat on and not left a remarkable footprint; either too large to be filled, or by becoming the yardstick to measure subsequent performance; From Public Enterprises and economic liberation, to rigorous and daring master plan re-enforcement and titling systems. He has chaired several high-profile cabinet committees that birthed successful initiatives.
- Former Presidential Aide, Ja’oji Declares Intent for House of Reps
- Airtel suspends airtime, data credit services over FCCPC rules
As Governor of Kaduna State for two terms (2015 to 2023), he elevated Kaduna to the No. 1 state in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings in 2018, implemented 12 years of free and compulsory education, sacked 22,000 unqualified primary school teachers and replaced them with 25,000 qualified ones, upgraded 255 Primary Health Centres, and grew Kaduna’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from ₦11.5 billion in 2015 to over ₦17 billion by 2016 – surpassing even oil-rich states down south – all by mostly blocking leakages and creating working systems. I can go on and on, but you know most of his antecedent already and even better than me.
It is a remarkable and telling fact, that even El-Rufai’s most fierce political opponents – those who contest his methods, dispute his record, or question his character – rarely contest his competence. Across party lines, ethnicity, religion, and region, the consensus is consistent: the man knows what he is doing. In a field of presidential aspirants where competence is the most contested variable, this cross-partisan acknowledgment of his ability is already a powerful endorsement.
El-Rufai’s economics are neither populist nor reckless. In Kaduna; Yes, he borrowed- but he made sure it was worth every kobo. He restructured the state’s civil service, and redirected funds into capital projects. He champions fiscal federalism, advocating that states generate and retain more of their own revenue and has demonstrated by Kaduna’s IGR trajectory; that Nigerian states can fund themselves without depending entirely on federal allocations, offering us his apparent model for national fiscal reform.
Youth and Women-Focused:
El-Rufai’s relationship with Nigerian youth is not transactional. I always ask why the youth make up 70% or more of the Nigerian electorate, but yet have never been elected president or considered to be worthy power brokers on the negotiation table. They are rarely included in post-election governance and only appear useful for protests, violence and social media hullabaloos. But that is not Mallam.
Mallam has consistently elevated young people into substantive leadership positions. As governor, several youths and women were appointed as heads of agencies and key advisers. His cabinet has always been described as one of the most diverse and youth-inclusive in Nigerian gubernatorial history.
One of El-Rufai’s most enduring legacies may be the leaders he built. As governor, he appointed women to head 6 of Kaduna’s 14 ministries and selected his running mate, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, who became the first elected female Deputy Governor in Northern Nigeria. His cabinet included people from every part of Nigeria. He has mentored politicians, technocrats, and public servants who now serve at state and national levels.
Of several recent cases I can speak of, is one close to my heart; the case of Khalil Nur Khalil. A rare and talented Youth Corps Member that was appointed to head the Agency he served-at 28 years of age, and went on to attract and commission substantial investments to Kaduna. Also see the list of Government Appointees and Advisers during Mallam’s tenure as Governor. Most of the current youth circle in Governance, politics and business today in the state and beyond are breeds of Mallam. Now, imagine a broader National spread for our Nigerian women and youth.
Boldness and Trustworthiness:
The Arabs say the ideal leader is ‘Qawiyyun, Ameen’ – strong and trustworthy. El-Rufai embodies both. When the political wind favoured a northern presidential candidate in 2022, he resisted pressure and publicly championed power rotation to the South – not because it was politically convenient, but because it was just and because he was a part of an agreement entrusted in that regard. He delivered on that position. Do we now fail to see if he can deliver on promises and public trust?
Give Leadership to Those Who Do Not Seek It:
Classical political philosophy, from Plato to even traditional and some religious beliefs hold that the most qualified leader is one who does not hunger for power. Among all the names being considered, one stands out not because he is seeking the office, but precisely because he is not: Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (NAE). El-Rufai has repeatedly and publicly stated he will not contest the presidency in 2027. A man who must be persuaded to serve, rather than one who schemes to ascend, is precisely the kind of leader a republic, like ours, should elevate.
The Strategist with a Real Blueprint and Roadmap:
El-Rufai does not govern by improvisation only. In Kaduna, every policy – education reform, urban renewal, health infrastructure, IGR optimisation, security architecture – was preceded by a detailed diagnostic and followed by a measurable implementation plan. He launched the Kaduna Urban Renewal Programme, described as the most ambitious infrastructure investment in the state’s history. He helped draft the legislation establishing the BPE before running it. He knows where he wants to go, why he wants to go there, and how he intends to arrive. Nigeria, with its complexity, requires a president who governs by design, not instinct. He also almost perfectly delivers on those blueprints. Not ‘Cho-Cho-Cho’.
El-Rufai holds a First Class degree in Quantity Surveying from Ahmadu Bello University, an MBA, a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and has attended executive programmes at Harvard Business School and Georgetown University. He began his career as a private sector professional, founding a successful quantity surveying and project management firm. He has consulted for the World Bank and international agencies. He taught part-time at his alma mater. This breadth means he is highly qualified and does not rely blindly on advisers. He can assess, interrogate, challenge, and improve expert counsel first-hand; a crucial ability for a president managing a cabinet of specialists.
He Has Never Contested the Presidency – Let Him Try Too:
Here, they always tell me that Mallam cannot win the Presidential election. But many of today’s presidential aspirants have contested the presidency. Did they win?
El-Rufai has never entered that race. Yet, he has masterminded and strategically helped those that ran and won. The argument is simple: let the most competent man who has never contested, try too. Support and sacrifice can come from others’ structures and range of resources. ‘The Kingmaker can also be King’.
Vocal, Open, and Honest – Even When It Hurts:
El-Rufai communicates with an honesty that has frequently made him enemies. He criticised President Buhari’s administration openly. The APC when it tried to impose a Northern Candidate. He has also publicly condemned the Tinubu government’s economic management. He called out his own party when it strayed. This habit of truthful, public accountability – and of telling his constituents what he is doing and why – is precisely the governance culture Nigeria’s electorate deserve but rarely receives or appreciates. Transparency is not a PR strategy for him; it is a governing principle. It is time to appreciate it, lest we lose it.
El-Rufai is a man who has been consistently misrepresented. His governance decisions – many of them unpopular but institutionally sound – have been weaponised as narratives. The standard should not be whether someone has attracted controversy, but whether the facts, on honest examination, support the narrative. In El-Rufai’s case, the facts consistently do not. Some say (things like) “Southern Kaduna killings”; so bring the data/facts and let us assess.
We must also bear in mind that erring makes us human and so we must not seek to always look out for or amplify others’ errors of which we ourselves are not free of. Even theology, across all major faiths, does not demand a sinless person; it demands one whose good deeds outweigh his transgressions. Do your math!
He Reads, Listens, and Acts:
One of the least-discussed but most powerful attributes of El-Rufai’s leadership style, I think, is his accessibility. Credibly reported accounts describe how, as governor, he personally read messages and acted on information from ordinary citizens – a habit most leaders abandon the moment they assume office. I have heard of several instances where problems were solved by Mallam via written correspondence alone. With no ‘Know someone’ background. That is the essence of credible leadership. That is Mallam.
Not Your Average Corrupt Politician or Appeasement Machine:
El-Rufai does not govern to please political patrons at the expense of public interest. Read that again!
His entire career is a chronicle of decisions that were politically costly but institutionally correct: A president who cannot be bought or appeased is the hardest kind to corrupt. Again, Take a cue and review his recent corruption charges/allegations and you will conclude that he was either a Local Government Councilor (with all due respect) or didn’t receive and spend billions of dollars (or equivalents) as Kaduna State Governor between 2015 and mid-2023 or maybe He is just that selfless Leader with Financial discipline and morals that we need. With those figures, and assuming those allegations even turn out to be true, then we should be using it as another call to service for Mallam. Not to justify corruption, but to choose from the lesser evil.
What Next?
Mal. Nasir Ahmad Elrufai for President in 2027 or Devout Elder Statesman in his Daura-equivalent Garden afterwards.
May He guide our affairs and thumbs to what is best.
©️ Shamsudeen K. Bello
23rd April 2026
