2027: Ganduje and El-Rufai Clash Over North’s Political Future
2027: Ganduje and El-Rufai Clash Over North’s Political Future
17 Feb
17Feb
landscape in Nigeria is heating up ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with a fresh controversy emerging between prominent northern politicians. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, has come under criticism from northern leaders and groups after urging northern politicians to abandon any presidential ambition in 2027, insisting that President Bola Tinubu should serve a second term.Ganduje’s statement was widely perceived as a direct response to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who hinted at northern resistance to Tinubu’s reelection. In a post on his verified X handle, El-Rufai suggested that the North might treat Tinubu the same way it ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
While speaking at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, Ganduje dismissed any notion of a northern presidential bid, emphasizing the party's commitment to rotational leadership. “When a leader from the North ruled for eight years, we supported power shifting to the South. Now that Tinubu is in office, he will complete two terms before power returns to the North,” he declared.However, Ganduje’s stance has sparked backlash, with critics labeling it a dangerous precedent.... The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) dismissed his remarks as mere political rhetoric aimed at securing personal favors. Dr. Bitrus Pogu, MBF President, cautioned that Ganduje might not truly mean what he said, implying a strategic political maneuver.Similarly, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum leader Yerima Shettima questioned the democratic integrity of Ganduje’s remarks, arguing that every Nigerian has the right to contest for office. “Discouraging competition weakens democracy and limits voter choice,” he warned.Christian leaders also criticized the premature focus on 2027.. Emmanuel Obe, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) North-West, urged politicians to prioritize governance over electioneering. “Nigerians are suffering; instead of 2027 politics, leaders should focus on solving hunger, insecurity, and unemployment,” he stated.
