Human rights activist Aisha Yesufu has explained why many Nigerians, including herself, found it difficult to see former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai together at a recent function in Owerri, Imo State.
In a video shared on her X (formerly Twitter) page, Yesufu said her discomfort stemmed from El-Rufai’s past utterances and actions as governor of Kaduna State.
She stated:
“Seeing Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai together is a very hard one for a lot of people, myself included and for those who are supporting Peter Obi and seeing all the things El-Rufai did as governor of Kaduna State, his utterances and actions; anytime I see El-Rufai I’m thinking about Dadiyata.”
Yesufu, who clarified that she had met El-Rufai once but did not engage with him, stressed that politics requires tolerance and compromise.
“For me this is my test that politics is not a love affair. Does that mean that I have to be working in the same room with this person? But like I said, politics is not a love affair. So I want to say to everyone of us, yes a lot of us feel bad, angry, pained seeing El-Rufai with Peter Obi but let’s understand that in politics you have to deal with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Politics is not a love affair, so you want to be the leader of everyone.”
Her reaction comes amid social media debates after photos and videos of Obi and El-Rufai sitting together went viral.
Seeing Peter Obi And Nasir El Rufai Is A Very Hard One For A Lot Of People, Myself Included But……. pic.twitter.com/Ic5vTWQ9tv
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) September 9, 2025
