Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has asserted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 elections depend entirely on the Nigerian people, not the backing of state governors.
Speaking during a media chat with journalists in Kano State on Monday, El-Rufai, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), emphasized that grassroots support, not political endorsements, will determine electoral outcomes.
“President Tinubu can mobilise all the state governors, but if Nigerians reject him, it is over,” he declared.
El-Rufai argued that the opposition coalition being formed is focused on creating a viable people-driven alternative, rather than relying on influential political figures.
“We are trying to offer Nigerians a real alternative, something different from what they have seen before,” he said.
Highlighting the power of the electorate, he added: “A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have many more votes than one governor or even 36 governors combined.”
His remarks come amid heightened speculation following recent meetings among top opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s visit to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Although these moves sparked merger rumours, the PDP Governors’ Forum has denied any formal coalition plans.
Reacting to the forum’s rejection of the alliance, El-Rufai maintained that their movement was never anchored on such partnerships.
“The fact that one governor from the PDP has defected means nothing. We are not counting on governors to win elections. We are counting on the people,” he stated.
“It doesn’t matter if you gather all the governors together; if the people of Nigeria say they are not with you, it is over,” he reiterated.
He cited Tinubu’s 2023 performance in Lagos as a case in point. “The president had a sitting governor in Lagos and still lost Lagos. So, what is the real value of a governor?” El-Rufai asked.
Reflecting on his own political experience, he said: “I was the governor of Kaduna State. I fought hard to deliver President Tinubu in my state, but I lost. That taught me a hard lesson — that elections are ultimately decided by the people, not by political figures.”
The former governor clarified that while names like Atiku and Peter Obi have been mentioned as possible candidates, the coalition’s priority for now is platform-building.
“Our focus now is not on selecting candidates. It is on building the platform first,” he said.
“We have told all those with presidential aspirations: put aside your ambitions for now. Join us as equal members and help us build a credible alternative,” El-Rufai explained.
“If and when all opposition groups come under the SDP, we will have that conversation. But for now, we must work together to build something Nigerians can trust.”
He also stressed that Nigeria’s crisis transcends regional or ethnic lines.
“I no longer care where the president comes from. I want a candidate who can offer real solutions to Nigeria’s problems and excite Nigerians enough to come out and vote,” he stated.
“We are facing an existential crisis. It is not about North or South anymore. It is about survival, unity, and progress. Whoever can deliver that — wherever they come from — will have my support.”
On the question of merging with the PDP, El-Rufai was unequivocal.
“From the beginning, our intention was never to merge with the PDP. We have been very clear about that,” he said.
“The PDP is a spent force. It is a party targeted for destruction, and, frankly, it has almost succeeded.”
He emphasized the coalition’s goal of creating a fresh political force.
“We are not looking at political parties that are already ravaged by internal conflicts. We are building something fresh, something that will inspire hope,” El-Rufai said.
“When Nigerians look at the faces involved, they will hopefully say: ‘Yes, maybe this time it will be different.’ That is the goal, and it is ongoing.”
Explaining the choice of the SDP as their platform, he said “Our objective is not to merge political parties. We have been through that before, and we know how long and complicated that process is.”
He added that the SDP was selected after evaluating parties unlikely to be deregistered by INEC.
“As you know, INEC now has the power to deregister parties without any elected member at the state Assembly level. We assessed the ones that cannot be deregistered and concluded that the SDP ranked highest. It has pedigree, it has history, but it still needs building.”
According to El-Rufai, the real challenge lies in organizing the party from the ground up.
“Forming a party is easy. Building a party, registering members, holding congresses, building leadership from the polling unit to the national level is the real work.”
He concluded with a warning against past political mistakes “What destroyed previous parties in Nigeria is a lack of internal democracy and the stranglehold of godfathers. We want to eliminate that.”
“The APC started with hope, but it became controlled by one or two people. We want a party that no one owns, where everyone has a voice.”
