Nasir El-Rufai says Nigeria’s emerging opposition coalition doesn’t need state governors to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Speaking in Kano on Monday, April 28, the former Kaduna governor, now a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), described the movement as grassroots-driven and not reliant on political elites.
“We are trying to offer Nigerians a real alternative, something different from what they have seen before,” El-Rufai said.
He stressed that the power lies with the people, not political officeholders. “A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have many more votes than one governor or even 36 governors combined,” he added.
His remarks followed the PDP Governors’ Forum’s decision to distance itself from any coalition talks. After a meeting in Ibadan, the Forum said it was focused on rebuilding the PDP for the future.
But El-Rufai was unbothered. He dismissed the recent defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and 2023 vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa as inconsequential.
“The fact that one governor from the PDP has defected means nothing. We are not counting on governors to win elections. We are counting on the people,” he said.
He cited the 2023 election, where despite backing from a sitting Lagos governor, Tinubu lost the state. “So, what is the real value of a governor?” he asked.
“I fought hard to deliver President Tinubu in Kaduna, but I lost. That taught me a hard lesson. Elections are ultimately decided by the people, not political figures.”
El-Rufai said the coalition is focused on building a people-first platform. “Governors do not determine election results. The people do. We want the SDP and our coalition to remind Nigerians of that fundamental truth.”
When asked about possible presidential candidates like Atiku Abubakar or Peter Obi, El-Rufai said it was too early. “Our focus now is not on selecting candidates. It is on building the platform first,” he said.
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He said all presidential hopefuls have been urged to set aside their ambitions and help create a credible political alternative.
El-Rufai also rejected zoning and identity politics, insisting that competence must come first. “I no longer care where the president comes from. I want someone who can solve Nigeria’s problems and inspire voters,” he said.
“We are facing an existential crisis. It is no longer about North or South. It’s about survival, unity, and progress. Whoever can deliver that has my support.”
On reports of a potential PDP merger, El-Rufai was blunt. “That was never on the table. The PDP is a spent force, a party targeted for destruction, and frankly, it has almost succeeded.”
He said the coalition is determined to build something fresh, something that will inspire hope. “When Nigerians look at the faces involved, they will hopefully say: ‘Yes, maybe this time it will be different.’ That is the goal, and it is ongoing.”
El-Rufai confirmed that the SDP would serve as the coalition’s platform, explaining that the party has the required structure to withstand INEC’s deregistration rules.
“As you know, INEC can now deregister parties that don’t win seats in state assemblies. We studied the options and found that the SDP has the best chance of surviving. It has pedigree and history, but it needs work.”
He stressed that forming a party is the easy part. The challenge lies in building structures and ensuring it is truly democratic.
“Forming a party is easy. Building one, registering members, holding congresses, developing leadership from polling units to the national level, that’s the real work,” he said.
El-Rufai also emphasised internal democracy, warning against a repeat of the dominance of political godfathers.
“What destroyed previous parties in Nigeria is the lack of internal democracy. The APC started with hope, but it ended up controlled by one or two people. We want a party that no one owns, where everyone has a voice,” he said.