ABUJA: The Presidency has refuted claims by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is plotting to hold on to power beyond Nigeria’s constitutional limits.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Monday, dismissed El-Rufai’s remarks as baseless, absurd and politically motivated, stressing that Tinubu remains committed to democracy and has no intention of extending his stay in office beyond May 28, 2031, should he secure re-election in 2027.
El-Rufai, who recently hosted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Kaduna, had alleged that the Tinubu government was sliding into authoritarianism.
He likened the President to Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982, and accused the administration of centralising authority at the expense of federalism.
“This government is trying to centralise everything instead of devolving power. If we don’t come together to stop it in 2027, Tinubu will attempt to be Nigeria’s Paul Biya. All the signs are there,” El-Rufai claimed.
Responding, Onanuga said the former governor’s accusations reflected growing frustration over the inability of his new party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to weaken Tinubu’s popularity, particularly in the North.
After witnessing the overwhelming reception Tinubu received in Kaduna last week, El-Rufai is unsettled. Out of desperation, he is now peddling wild stories, including the lie that the President plans to become a life leader, Onanuga stated.
He maintained that Tinubu’s democratic credentials are well established and advised Kaduna governor Uba Sani to reach out to his predecessor, suggesting El-Rufai may require counselling to overcome these hallucinations and fabrications.
The sharp exchange underscores intensifying political hostilities as the 2027 general elections approach, with El-Rufai emerging as one of the most vocal critics of Tinubu’s administration.
