“El-Rufai Uncertain About Supporting Tinubu in 2027, Says He Might Leave APC”
Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, has expressed uncertainty about whether he will support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. El-Rufai also cast doubt on whether he would remain a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by that time.
In an interview on Prime Time on ARISE TV, El-Rufai explained that his support for Tinubu’s candidacy in the 2023 election was based on strategic calculations and consensus within the APC in Kaduna. “When I supported President Tinubu before the primaries, it was a decision that the leaders of APC took in Kaduna,” he said. He further clarified that, despite not being close friends with Tinubu, the consensus was that he was the most likely candidate to win.
Looking ahead to the 2027 election, El-Rufai emphasized that he would consult widely and evaluate the situation before making a decision. “In 2027, I’m going to consult the same people. We are going to take the same decision, which candidate to support and in which party,” he noted.
When asked about supporting a Southern candidate in 2027, El-Rufai pointed out that he was no longer a governor and thus did not have the same influence he once had. “Now I’m a private citizen. I’m not sure I would be in the APC 2027, so I cannot answer that question,” he explained, adding that his role as a former governor would not have the same political weight in the upcoming election.
El-Rufai’s remarks reflect his uncertainty about both his political alignment and his level of involvement in the next presidential election, leaving his future within the APC and support for Tinubu open-ended.
