Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sharply criticized former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nasir El-Rufai, calling him as a man who has a chronic predisposition to deceive and is unable to retain loyalty.
In his autobiography, My Watch (Vol. 2), Obasanjo commented on his experience working with El-Rufai, whom he appointed Minister during his tenure. While appreciating El-Rufai’s intelligence and ability to achieve outcomes, Obasanjo claimed that the former minister lacked the qualities demanded of a public servant.
“Nasir’s habit of savaging others’ reputations is nearly pathological. Obasanjo claimed, “He lied brazenly, including against me, his colleagues, and even his own family members.”
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The former president described how, despite being supported and empowered within his administration, El-Rufai routinely abused trust and twisted facts to further his own personal goals.
Obasanjo slammed El-Rufai’s alleged acts against his own relatives, including a revered uncle and a half-brother, calling the behavior highly disturbing and indicative of a lack of moral compass.
“He is talented, but requires strict supervision. “He suffers from what I call the’small man syndrome’—a combination of psychological and upbringing issues,” Obasanjo said.
Despite the harsh criticism, Obasanjo acknowledged El-Rufai’s role in implementing major initiatives during his presidency, saying that he might still serve the country—but only with careful control.
“I was confident in his abilities, and he delivered. However, his character flaws make him a liability in unsupervised situations,” he noted.
Obasanjo concluded by expressing concern about the forces that may have influenced El-Rufai’s personality, stating that his early lack of parental direction may have led to his behavior.
