Backlash over El-Rufai’s Claims on Tinubu, Calls for Counselling

Backlash over El-Rufai’s Claims on Tinubu, Calls for Counselling

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is facing criticism over what many observers have described as baseless claims and political speculations about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In recent weeks, El-Rufai has been accused of pushing a narrative suggesting that the North has withdrawn support for the President.

However, political watchers note that the grand reception accorded to President Tinubu during his visit to Kaduna last Friday repudiated such claims, showing instead that the President continues to enjoy significant goodwill across the region.

Following the event, El-Rufai reportedly alleged that President Tinubu harbours plans to become a “life president” beyond 2027—an assertion dismissed by critics as both unfounded and absurd.

“President Tinubu is a democrat who does not intend to remain in office beyond May 28, 2031, when his second term would constitutionally end, if re-elected in 2027,” a source close to the Presidency stated.

Political commentators argue that El-Rufai appears to be struggling to adjust to the realities of national politics since leaving office, particularly after reports emerged that his associates in a new political bloc had failed in their bid to weaken Tinubu’s prospects ahead of the next general election.

Some Kaduna stakeholders have even suggested that Governor Uba Sani should engage his predecessor directly, noting that El-Rufai could benefit from professional counselling to help him refrain from what they described as “hallucinations and political fabrications” about Tinubu and the 2027 race.