Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not make it to the ballot in a possible run-off for the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during a live political programme on Sunday, El-Rufai argued that Tinubu would, at best, come third in the polls, leaving him with no pathway to victory. “The worst-case scenario in 2027 is a run-off. Bola Tinubu will not be on the ballot because he will, at best, be third,” he said.
The former governor accused Tinubu of overestimating his power, noting that money, control of security agencies, and influence over electoral bodies would not guarantee success. “He may think, oh, I have money, INEC, police, army… President Tinubu should invite Jonathan and ask him what happened in 2015 despite having all these. I will get him out—that is the case,” El-Rufai said.
He also dismissed speculations about seeking a ministerial role in the present administration, stressing that he had no interest in serving under Tinubu. According to him, his disqualification as a minister on “security grounds” was merely an exit strategy by the president. El-Rufai revealed that his ambition had been to serve as Minister of Power, with a plan to deliver reliable electricity nationwide by 2030—a proposal he urged the government to adopt.
Taking a swipe at Tinubu’s economic policies, El-Rufai described them as “stupid,” alleging that they had pushed 31 million Nigerians into poverty. He further branded the administration “evil,” insisting he was qualified to make such a statement because, in his words, “I know evil when I see it.”
