2027 Election: El-Rufai Replies Sani, Other Critics as Atiku, Ex-Kaduna Gov, Others Visit Buhari
TheTalk.NG journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria.
Kaduna, Kaduna state – Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna state, on Friday, April 11, took a cryptic dig at his opponents.
TheTalk.NG reports that El-Rufai recently exited the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He asked opposition figures—including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Sule Lamido, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola—to imitate him.
Following the former governor’s party switch, Senator Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker in the national assembly, said El-Rufai’s political relevance and fortune have diminished. Sani projected that the APC will win the state, presidential, and national assembly elections in 2027.
In the same vein, the Kaduna state chapter of the APC dismissed claims by the SDP that it is worried about the defection of El-Rufai and his ex-commissioner, Ja’afaru Sani, to the SDP.
In a statement signed by the APC chairman, Air Commodore Emmanuel Jekada (retd), and secretary Yahaya Baba-Pate, the party described the SDP’s claims as “vituperations of political non-starters” who have “demystified themselves by pushing their lucks too far.” The party also warned that by accepting El-Rufai, the SDP has “sown the seed of its own destruction,” predicting that he would soon “throw a cat amongst the pigeons” within the party.
Similarly, former Jigawa state governor Lamido rejected an invitation from El-Rufai to join the SDP. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart dismissed the invitation as an insult, arguing that the PDP—which he helped build—played a key role in El-Rufai’s political rise.
Responding to those undermining his political strength, El-Rufai published a video of his latest visit to Buhari and wrote on X:
“Former VP Atiku Abubakar, former Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Achike Udenwa (Imo), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), and I, among others, were in Kaduna for Post-Sallah courtesies to former President Muhammadu Buhari. We joined over faithful for Jumaat prayers at the Yahaya Road Mosque and had a sumptuous lunch at the Buhari residence.
“By the way, our adversaries should not lose any sleep. It is not about politics. It is about unity and brotherhood. And since we were all politically irrelevant, we just prayed and enjoyed lunch with our mentor.”
Fasua downplays mooted coalition by El-Rufai and others
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that Tope Fasua, the special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on economic affairs (vice-president’s office), said he does not see any candidate who will defeat the Nigerian leader in the 2027 election.
Fasua’s stance was in reaction to the recent announcement of an opposition coalition to challenge the APC in the next presidential election.
Source: TheTalk.NG
