Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has declared his intention to mobilize efforts to remove what he termed “oppressors of Nigerians” from office in the 2027 general elections, while ruling out any personal political ambitions.
Speaking in Kaduna on Wednesday during a ceremony where a group of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), El-Rufai made it clear he would not be seeking any elective position.
“I am not contesting for anything; I don’t want to go to the Senate. I am not contesting for any position,” the former governor emphasized. “That is why I am calling on you: let us join hands and ensure we remove the oppressors.”
El-Rufai launched a scathing attack on the current administration, describing it as a government that “does nothing but lie every day.” He argued that Nigerians no longer need explanations to recognize the government’s failures, stating that “everyone’s conscience tells them the truth.”
The former governor revealed that his return to active politics was driven by necessity rather than personal ambition. He had originally planned to retire from partisan politics after completing his gubernatorial tenure but said recent developments forced his hand.
“When I finished my tenure as governor of Kaduna, my intention was to rest. But given the way things have turned out, I believe we must play our part to bring about better leadership. That is why we are back in politics,” El-Rufai explained.
The defection ceremony, led by Aliyu Bello, saw PDP youth members switching allegiance to the ADC, signaling potential realignments in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.