Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has confidently declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not secure a second term in the 2027 general election according to Punch Newspaper.
Speaking through a video shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, El-Rufai asserted that the president’s re-election bid is unrealistic, citing growing public dissatisfaction.
The former governor, now a prominent figure in the Social Democratic Party (SDP), stated that only those disconnected from Nigeria’s current socio-political climate would believe Tinubu stands a chance. According to him, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its leadership have lost credibility in the eyes of the electorate, making a comeback improbable.
El-Rufai emphasized that even a disorganized or relatively weak opposition could outmatch Tinubu in a free and fair election, due to what he described as Nigerians’ frustration with the APC-led government and its policies. “There is no viable route to victory for him,” he said, insisting that public opinion has shifted significantly since 2023.
He dismissed recent defections to the APC, claiming that many of those crossing over are either desperate for appointments or trying to avoid prosecution. He argued that such political moves are irrelevant to the SDP’s focus, which is on mobilizing the voting public, not political elites.
El-Rufai, once a vocal supporter of Tinubu’s 2023 campaign, is now collaborating with opposition figures such as former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Together, they aim to challenge Tinubu’s leadership at the polls in 2027.
Describing the next election as a direct contest between Nigerians and the APC, El-Rufai reaffirmed his party’s commitment to building a robust coalition capable of unseating the current administration through democratic means.
