El-Rufai blasts Tinubu, says His Government worse than military regimes

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming it poses a greater danger to democracy than Nigeria’s past military regimes.

El-Rufai made the remarks over the weekend while hosting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar at his residence in Kaduna. Atiku visited the former governor in solidarity following an attack that disrupted the inauguration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, an incident both El-Rufai and the Kaduna government have accused each other of orchestrating.

Condemning the Tinubu-led government, El-Rufai described it as “a disgrace to the very principles of democracy,” accusing it of sliding toward authoritarian rule. He likened Tinubu to Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, who has held on to power since 1982, warning that the centralization of authority under the current administration threatens Nigeria’s democratic foundation.

“Honestly sir, it is a disgrace. All the claims of fighting for democracy and federalism were pretence. This government is centralizing everything instead of devolving power. If we don’t come together and end this Tinubu administration by 2027, he will try to be our Paul Biya. All the signs are there,” El-Rufai said.

He further alleged that Tinubu’s government is “worse than any military regime,” noting that even during Buhari’s tenure, critics were not harassed for holding different political views. He called for unity among opposition leaders, stressing that Nigerians are eager to see the APC voted out in 2027.

In response, Atiku hailed El-Rufai’s courage and urged opposition leaders to remain firm, united, and committed to using democratic means to remove Tinubu from power.