The Presidency has dismissed as baseless claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that President Bola Tinubu may attempt to cling to power beyond Nigeria’s constitutional term limits.
El-Rufai had warned on Saturday that Tinubu could emulate Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982, if Nigerians fail to unite against him in the 2027 elections. Speaking after receiving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who paid him a solidarity visit in Kaduna, the ex-governor alleged that Tinubu was laying the groundwork for a “power-for-life” presidency.
“The sum total of this is that we are facing an evil of such a large proportion… 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,” El-Rufai said.
Responding on Sunday night, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the remarks as “unfounded speculations” and “political fabrications.”
Onanuga, in a post on his X handle, said El-Rufai appeared rattled by the warm reception Tinubu received during a recent visit to Kaduna, insisting the President still commands strong support in the North.
“After reports of the grand reception President Tinubu received in Kaduna last Friday, El-Rufai was clearly surprised by the depth of support the President continues to enjoy in the North. This stands in stark contrast to his narrative that the region has abandoned him,” Onanuga wrote.
He stressed that Tinubu remained a democrat committed to Nigeria’s constitutional order.
“President Tinubu does not intend to stay in office beyond May 28, 2031, when re-elected in 2027,” he said.
Onanuga further suggested that El-Rufai’s allies were frustrated by Tinubu’s growing acceptance nationwide, warning that efforts to stop the President’s re-election bid were “doomed to fail.”
He also urged Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to engage with his predecessor, suggesting El-Rufai “could benefit from professional counselling to steer him away from his recent political fabrications.”
