Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has called on the opposition to unite and remove President Bola Tinubu from power in 2027, warning that Tinubu is positioning himself to become a “president for life.”
El-Rufai compared Tinubu’s ambitions to those of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who has remained in office since 1982, and said only preventing a second term could stop such a scenario in Nigeria.
Speaking during a solidarity visit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at his home on Saturday, El-Rufai criticized Tinubu’s commitment to democracy and federalism as insincere. He accused the government of centralizing power rather than devolving it and described the current administration’s actions as a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic principles.
El-Rufai said, “All the claims of supporting democracy and true federalism are fake. This government is trying to centralize everything. We are confronting an unprecedented evil, and if we don’t stop Tinubu in 2027, he will try to become our Paul Biya — president for life.”
Atiku Abubakar echoed these concerns, describing the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government as the greatest risk to democracy since 1999. He accused the administration of evolving into a dictatorship by suppressing opposition and dissent.
The PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate also condemned the attack on El-Rufai during the recent inauguration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna, allegedly by APC supporters, viewing it as a dangerous sign for Nigeria’s democratic health.
In a Facebook post, Atiku said, “The Tinubu administration’s actions pose the greatest threat to democracy since our return to civilian rule. This government has become a full-blown dictatorship. We must harmonize our strengths and stand united to rescue Nigeria and offer a credible alternative that reflects the aspirations of Nigerians tired of the incompetent Tinubu government.”
