Presidency criticizes El-Rufai over alleged move to woo Buhari

The Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the possibility of any emerging opposition coalition unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

They described recent political moves by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as mere political theatrics.

This response comes after Atiku and El-Rufai led a delegation—including former governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa), and Achike Udenwa (Imo)—on a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna residence last week.

While Atiku insisted the visit was simply a post-Sallah courtesy call, many within the APC view it as part of a calculated plan to unite opposition forces against President Tinubu.

“There’s talk about major political parties forming a unified opposition front, but that wasn’t the purpose of our visit,” Atiku said.

Amid growing speculation about internal cracks within the APC and reports of defections—particularly from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) faction—to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, dismissed the claims as unfounded.

“Which CPC bloc are they talking about? Was El-Rufai or Atiku ever in CPC? What about leaders like Garba Datti Mohammed or ex-Governor Al-Makura—have they said they’re leaving?” Bashiru questioned. “The media is giving attention to irrelevant political noise.”

Reacting to the opposition’s reported coalition plans, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, described the alliance as an unprincipled attempt to grab power.

“This so-called coalition has no ideological foundation. It’s just about power,” Bwala said. “Even Peter Obi has said their aim is just to seize control. As for El-Rufai, he’s simply using them to play political ping pong.”

Bwala also revealed that El-Rufai’s attempt to draw PDP members into the SDP had been met with strong resistance from within.

He recounted how former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido firmly rejected the idea, reminding others that El-Rufai owed much of his political rise to the PDP.

“El-Rufai was made a minister twice under the PDP. Now he wants to take those same people out of the party? That’s not going to happen,” Bwala added.