Former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has issued a strong warning about President Bola Tinubu’s administration, cautioning that if Tinubu is not voted out in the 2027 general elections, he risks becoming another “Paul Biya” — a reference to the long-serving authoritarian leader of Cameroon.
El-Rufai made the remarks on Saturday evening during a meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who visited him in Kaduna to show solidarity after El-Rufai was reportedly attacked by suspected APC-sponsored thugs at the inauguration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State.
In his address, El-Rufai criticized the Tinubu-led government for veering towards authoritarianism and centralizing power instead of promoting Nigeria’s federal structure.
“Honestly, to me, it is a disgrace. For people to behave the way they are behaving means that all the years of saying we are for democracy and NADECO, all the claims that we fight for true federalism — it was all a pretense,” he said. “This government is trying to centralize everything instead of devolving power to the lower levels.”
El-Rufai warned that without collective action to end Tinubu’s government through the 2027 elections, Nigeria could face an extended rule, akin to that of President Paul Biya of Cameroon, who has been in power for decades.
“The sum total of this is that we are facing an evil of such a scale in the history of this country that 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; this is how Paul Biya started,” El-Rufai added.
He also praised Atiku Abubakar’s experienced leadership in Nigeria’s democratic journey, calling on Nigerians to rally behind him to unite the opposition.
“You, Atiku, are our leader. You have fought the military and have extensive experience in democratic governance. During your and Obasanjo’s time in office, no one was harassed because of differing political views — not even President Buhari with his military background did what we are facing now. Yet, here we are, under full-fledged civilians who are worse than any military regime we’ve had,” El-Rufai said.
He emphasized the need for unity in opposition ranks to ensure a credible alternative in the next election:
“Your call for unity is timely. Nigerians have made up their minds that APC must be voted out. We must provide the leadership and unity of purpose, and with your leadership and diplomatic skills, I am confident we will reach the Promised Land.”
In response, Atiku commended El-Rufai’s bravery and urged all opposition leaders to stay focused on ensuring the current administration is held accountable and voted out peacefully through the ballot box.
“I know you are not the type to shy away from confronting difficult situations. This is why we must come together to ensure that, first, such abuses don’t continue for the rest of this administration, and second, that we send them out in 2027, but only through the ballot box,” Atiku said.
