Former Governor of Kaduna State and a leading figure in the political coalition gearing up for the 2027 presidential election, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that the coalition will not fail in its mission to unseat the current administration.
Fielding questions from journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, El-Rufai dismissed doubts over the viability of the coalition, asserting that its members are driven solely by the interest of Nigerians, not personal ambition.
He said, “The coalition is a work in progress. We are coherent in the sense that the objective is not about grabbing power but about putting Nigeria back on track. All the leaders of the coalition have put their personal ambitions aside and are working towards creating a unified platform that will defeat the incumbent government.”
El-Rufai was emphatic that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not secure re-election in 2027, declaring that there is no political pathway to victory for him.
“Anybody who thinks it is possible for President Bola Tinubu to get re-elected is living in another country—not Nigeria. It is impossible,” El-Rufai said. “Where I come from in Kaduna State, there are no voters for Bola Tinubu in the next election—they don’t exist.”
Responding to concerns about defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai said he is not disturbed, describing the defectors as “greedy, hungry politicians” or individuals trying to shield themselves from anti-corruption probes.
“I’m not worried. In fact, I’m happy there is a gale of defections. Nigerians are not defecting—it’s greedy politicians who are defecting, those looking for money, contracts, appointments, or protection from EFCC or ICPC. But the people who actually vote are not defecting.”
He added that the 2027 election would be between the APC and ordinary Nigerians, not the political elite.
“The people are not interested in the EFCC, nor in the PDP. The 2027 election will be between the APC and Nigerians—it’s not about governors or senators or House of Reps members. Many of those in office today are discredited due to the failure of governance.”
El-Rufai also responded to a recent comment by elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, who claimed no one could defeat Tinubu in 2027.
“That’s his opinion,” El-Rufai said. “But I think Tanko Yakasai is a little disconnected from what is happening on the ground. People are tired of old politicians giving magisterial opinions on things they know nothing about. But I won’t disrespect him—he’s entitled to his view, just as I am to mine.”
Reaffirming the purpose of the coalition, El-Rufai concluded, “We are working diligently to install a government that puts the people of Nigeria first—not a few families and friends who corner the country’s resources as if they own them.”
