Former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai has cautioned that President Bola Tinubu may attempt to maintain power akin to Cameroon’s Paul Biya if Nigerians do not unite against him in the upcoming 2027 elections. El-Rufai shared these insights during a meeting with Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president, who visited him to express solidarity following an alleged attack by “APC-sponsored thugs” during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) inauguration in Kaduna.

“The sum total of this is that we are facing an evil of such a large proportion 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 stated.

He characterized the Tinubu government as a “disgrace” to democratic values, accusing it of centralizing power instead of promoting federalism. “Honestly, sir, to me, it is even a disgrace. For people to behave the way they are behaving means that all the years of claiming to support democracy and fighting for true federalism were just pretenses,” he added.

El-Rufai emphasized the importance of Atiku’s extensive experience in opposition politics to galvanize resistance against Tinubu ahead of 2027. “You (Atiku) have experience in democratic governance, and when you and Obasanjo were in charge, no one was harassed for having a different political view. We must unite to ensure that this administration is checked and ultimately voted out.”

Atiku responded by commending el-Rufai’s bravery, urging opposition leaders to stay focused on their goal of holding the Tinubu administration accountable through the democratic process.