Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has openly expressed deep regret for supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rise to power, describing the President as “evil” and calling for his removal.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News Channel’s PrimeTime programme on Monday, El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), admitted that his role in Tinubu’s emergence as President contributed to the current political and economic hardship Nigerians are experiencing.
“I just feel like I contributed to this country’s problems by bringing the evil Tinubu into power. I should do the last lap by removing him,” El-Rufai declared, in what is perhaps his most scathing public criticism of the President to date.
El-Rufai, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and later as Governor for eight years in Kaduna, also hinted at the formation of a new political movement called the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), which he said is driven by the need to “rescue Nigeria from urban bandits and bad governance.”
According to him, the ADA is a coalition of like-minded Nigerians from various political affiliations, including associates of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and some ex-ministers who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This coalition is not about political parties. It is about fixing Nigeria. It comprises people who are tired of APC, tired of incompetence, and ready to put aside political differences for the country’s future,” he said.
He noted that while the ADA is not yet a registered political party, it could eventually evolve into one if the need arises. “If forming a party becomes necessary, we will come together under one platform. Right now, we are building consensus, not chasing ambition.”
El-Rufai also likened the current political atmosphere to that of 2015 when widespread dissatisfaction with former President Goodluck Jonathan led to the formation of a grand coalition that ousted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Drawing on that experience, he emphasized the importance of unity among opposition voices, stressing that President Tinubu’s administration has failed to address the critical issues of inflation, insecurity, and economic instability.
He, however, urged Nigerians not to place blind trust in his political judgment, admitting, “Don’t trust what I say. It seems I’m not good at picking political candidates.”
The remarks come amid growing national frustration with the APC-led government, which has struggled to stabilize the economy despite several policy shifts, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, El-Rufai’s statements are expected to spark renewed political realignments and possibly intensify calls for an alternative to the current administration.
Neither the presidency nor the APC had responded to El-Rufai’s comments at the time of filing this report.
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