El-Rufai Uncertain About Supporting Tinubu in 2027

Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, has expressed uncertainty over whether he will support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

He also revealed that he is unsure if he will remain with the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the next general election.

Speaking on ARISE News Channel’s Prime Time on Monday, El-Rufai was asked about his position on Tinubu’s second-term ambitions. He declined to give a clear answer, explaining that his decision would depend on the political landscape at that time.

El-Rufai said,

“I don’t know (if I will support Tinubu in 2027). I will evaluate the situation at the time, and I will consult widely. When I supported President Tinubu before the primaries, it was a decision that the leaders of APC took in Kaduna. Who do we support? We succeeded in ensuring that power goes to the south, and we know that all the northern candidates will go nowhere, Yahaya Bello, Ahmed Lawan, we knew. But among the southerners, who do we support, they know those that are my friends. Tinubu was not my friend. I was never close to him. But the consensus of the APC in Kaduna was that we should support Bola Tinubu because he is the one that is more likely to win. Politicians make these calculations.”

He added that in 2027, he would once again consult with key people in his political circle to decide on the candidate and party to support.

When questioned about his stance on supporting a Southern candidate in 2027, El-Rufai stated that, as a private citizen, he could not provide an answer. He further mentioned that his role would be different in 2027, as he would no longer hold the power and influence he had as a governor.

He concluded,

“Now I’m a private citizen. I’m not sure I would be in the APC in 2027, so I cannot answer that question… Now in 2027, I will not be a governor, so I will not have the sort of clout that I had in 2023.”