El-Rufai says no desire to be President, recommends coalition adopts SDP as party, not ADA
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai says he has no ambition to run for President in 2027, he simply wants to join forces to remove Bola Tinubu from Aso Rock, someone he helped to install but came up with an “evil” government.
El-Rufai told Arise Television that all he desires at this point is to see the Tinubu administration, “a tragedy”, voted out of power and he would go with whatever party the opposition coalition decides as the vehicle to achieve the aim.
He, however, recommended to the coalition to adopt the Social Democratic Party (SDP) rather than registering a new All Democratic Alliance (ADA) as being proposed.
He insisted that Nigerians are tired of the lies and misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and are looking for a credible option.
“We have polled it. There is 91 per cent disapproval of this administration across the country. 91 per cent disapproval is the worst in Nigeria’s history,” El-Rufai said.
“But Nigerians are looking for a credible option. But I want to see people coming together, putting aside their differences and ambitions, and giving them an alternative to this failure of a government. That’s the key thing.”
Can he put aside his personal ambition for this cause with the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and so many other big politicians in the race? El-Rufai was asked.
He replied that big names do not equate to ambition.
“You’ve mentioned my name. I have no ambition. I just feel that having contributed to bringing about this tragedy to Nigeria by contributing to the emergence of Tinubu as President, I should contribute in my last lap, because I’m 65, I should be retiring in my last lap.
“Let me contribute towards removing this evil that I believe will destroy Nigeria if left unchecked.”
El-Rufai disclosed that he is currently advocating that the coalition adopts the SDP due to its history and legacy.
“I strongly believe that the SDP is the best platform for a coalition; its history, its legacy, its sentimental value, and everything about it are almost perfect, the name, the logo, and I’m advocating for that among my colleagues.”
The coalition to sack Tinubu in 2027 is spearheaded by Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), El-Rufai (SDP), Obi (Labour Party, LP), Amaechi (APC), and others.
News broke last week that of the coalition having applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register ADA as a political party.
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