ABNews Report | Abuja
Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has openly declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be held accountable for his performance and should be voted out in 2027 if he fails to meet expectations.
El-Rufai made the bold statement during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme, closely monitored by ABNews. The former governor, who spoke in his capacity as a private citizen, emphasized that political decisions moving forward must be based on competence and the ability to win elections, rather than ethnic or regional sentiments.
“As a private citizen, I may be reckless and say, you know what, we gave the southerners their chances and they gave us Tinubu. Has he done well? If he hasn’t done well by 2027, let’s vote him out,” El-Rufai asserted.
While noting his personal preference for a Southern successor to President Tinubu, El-Rufai stressed that electoral success and national interest must take precedence over zoning arrangements.
“I will prefer that the South succeeds Tinubu, but at the end of the day, in the party that I will be—either in APC or any other party—the calculations would be who will win. That’s what matters,” he stated.
He further emphasized that the choice of a presidential candidate in 2027 must be based on electability and performance, regardless of the candidate’s region.
“No matter where the person comes from, the person who will win is who we will go for in the party that I will belong to,” El-Rufai said.
The former governor’s remarks have since stirred reactions in political circles, with many interpreting his comments as both a challenge to the current administration and a call for meritocracy in future political contests.
