Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands no chance of winning the 2027 presidential election, insisting that his calculations show a clear path to defeat.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the outspoken politician — now a key figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition — said Tinubu could, at best, come third place.
“Tinubu will be third in the 2027 election. I have done my maths, and I can tell you Tinubu has no pathway to win. The worst-case scenario is that there will not be any winner in the first ballot,” El-Rufai asserted.
El-Rufai urged Nigerians to assess the current government based on their day-to-day realities rather than political promises.
“Ask yourself, is your life better now under President Tinubu?” he asked, adding that the administration has shown no clear intentions of genuine reform and deserves public scrutiny.
Addressing rumors of his possible return to the federal cabinet, El-Rufai dismissed talk of serving again as a minister. While he admitted he was considered for the role of Energy Minister, he said he had already served in that capacity early in his career.
He, however, revealed that he had developed a comprehensive plan to reform the energy sector if he had been appointed.
Once a loyal APC stalwart and campaigner for Tinubu in the 2023 election, El-Rufai has now aligned himself with prominent opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
He stressed that political leaders do not decide elections — the people do.
“I was in APC yet I did not deliver my state. Bola Tinubu did not win his state,” he said pointedly.
El-Rufai also faulted the government’s approach to insecurity, accusing officials of making hollow claims about defeating terrorists while violent groups still operate openly.
On the issue of opposition politicians pledging to serve only one term if elected, El-Rufai was dismissive:
“I want them to stop making this kind of commitment. Nobody believes them. Things change once they get in. Such a promise is even unfair.”
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