Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has dismissed the possibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu securing re-election in 2027, insisting that Nigerians have lost faith in both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its leadership.
Speaking in a recent interview shared on X, El-Rufai, now a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said, “Anybody that thinks it is possible for President Bola Tinubu to get re-elected is living in another country, not Nigeria. It is impossible for Bola Tinubu to get re-elected.”
He argued that widespread dissatisfaction with the APC’s policies and governance has eroded public support, leaving no viable path for Tinubu to return to office—even if the opposition is weak.
“I don’t see a pathway for him,” El-Rufai declared. “Even the weakest opposition will defeat Tinubu.”
This position stands in stark contrast to recent reassurances from the Tinubu-led administration. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, recently stated that Nigeria is gradually heading toward economic recovery, noting over 900,000 beneficiaries of the presidential loan scheme, 300,000 student loan recipients, and over $10 billion in cleared FX debt.
But El-Rufai dismissed defections to the APC as insignificant, describing those crossing over as either “greedy and hungry politicians” seeking contracts and appointments, or individuals trying to evade accountability by regulatory bodies like EFCC and ICPC.
He emphasized that the SDP and its emerging coalition are not focused on political figures, but on the Nigerian electorate. “The 2027 elections will be between the APC and Nigerians,” he said.
El-Rufai, once a strong supporter of Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid, has now joined forces with political heavyweights including former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in what appears to be a growing coalition determined to unseat the current administration through the ballot in the next general election.
