Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of authoritarianism, urging opposition unity to end his rule in 2027
Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has described President Bola Tinubu’s administration as “worse than any military regime Nigeria has ever had,” warning it is tilting toward authoritarianism.
Speaking in Kaduna during a weekend visit by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, El-Rufai alleged the government is “trying to centralize everything instead of devolving power,” calling it a “disgrace to democratic ideals.” He compared Tinubu to Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, in power since 1982, saying, “if we don’t come together and end this Tinubu administration by 2027, Tinubu will try to be our Paul Biya. All the signs are there.”
Atiku’s solidarity visit followed an attack on the African Democratic Congress inauguration in Kaduna, which El-Rufai blamed on government-backed thugs. Praising Atiku’s democratic record, El-Rufai urged opposition leaders to unite, insisting, “the people of Nigeria have made up their mind that APC must be voted out.”
Atiku commended El-Rufai’s stance, urging, “we should come together… and send them out by 2027, not through any other thing else but through the ballot box.”