El-Rufai Slams Tinubu’s Administration, Calls It Worse Than Military Regimes, Urges Opposition Unity Ahead of 2027
*By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as “worse than any military regime Nigeria has ever experienced.”
El-Rufai made the comments over the weekend when former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar paid him a solidarity visit following the recent disruption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) inauguration event in Kaduna. Akahi News gathered that thugs had invaded the venue, sparking heated exchanges between El-Rufai’s camp and the state government, with police later summoning both sides for questioning.
‘Tinubu Tilting Towards Authoritarianism’
Speaking during the visit, El-Rufai accused the current administration of betraying democratic ideals by centralising power instead of strengthening federalism. He went further to compare President Tinubu to Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who has remained in power since 1982.
“Honestly sir, to me, it is even a disgrace. I mean, for people to behave the way they are behaving, it means that all the years of saying that we are for democracy and NADECO, all the claims that we are fighting for true federalism and so on — it was all a pretence, all fake again. Because this government (Tinubu’s administration) is trying to centralise everything instead of devolving power to the lower levels,” El-Rufai said.
Warning against what he called “the evil of authoritarianism,” the former governor said:
“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.”
Praise for Atiku, Call for Opposition Unity
El-Rufai lauded Atiku’s experience in democratic governance, recalling how freedoms were respected under previous administrations.
“You (Atiku) are our leader; you have fought the military before and defended democracy. Even President Buhari, with his military background, never harassed opponents the way we are seeing today. This administration is behaving worse than any military regime we’ve ever had,” he said.
He urged opposition leaders to unite, stressing that Nigerians were eager for change in 2027.
Atiku Responds: ‘We Must Remain Focused’
In his response, Atiku agreed with El-Rufai, calling for unity and a commitment to democratic processes.
“The more reason why we should come together is to make sure that, one, it doesn’t happen anymore during the remaining part of this administration, and secondly, like you said, we send them out by 2027, not through any other thing else but through the ballot box,” Atiku said.
Political Implications
Political analysts told Akahi News that El-Rufai’s remarks mark a significant escalation in opposition rhetoric against the Tinubu administration. They believe the comments could reshape political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections as opposition figures rally to challenge the ruling APC.
🎓 Attend 2026 JAMB, Post-UTME, WAEC, and NECO GCE Tutorials
Get fully prepared with expert tutors, comprehensive study materials, and personalised academic guidance at Akahi Tutors.
📍 Located at 67, Oduduwa College Road, Off Sabo Junction, Ile-Ife.
📞 Call: 08038644328
for enrollment and accommodation reservation.
Akahi News http://www.akahinews.org
