The Presidency has dismissed claims by former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu harbors intentions of becoming a life president in Nigeria.
The Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, stated that El-Rufai’s assertion was false, unfounded, and misleading. He emphasized that President Tinubu remains committed to upholding democratic principles, strengthening institutions, and ensuring the nation’s leadership transition process remains intact.
El-Rufai was quoted as saying that all the Democratic credentials of the president were “fake” as the present administration was already tilting towards totalitarianism.
Onanuga made the statement following El-Rufai’s meeting with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, over the weekend, where he was quoted as saying that there are signs that President Tinubu wants to turn himself into ‘Paul Biya of Cameroon’, a president who has been in office since 1982 to date.
But in a reaction, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said, “President Tinubu is a democrat who does not intend to stay in office beyond May 28, 2031, when re-elected in 2027.”
Onanuga, who inferred that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leader might need help, said the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT Minister has recognised the futility of attempts by his associates in his new party to prevent President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, adding that “This plot is proving to be unattainable, a mission doomed to fail.”
He said El-Rufai is surprised by the recent support for the President during his visit to Kaduna State, saying, “This stands in stark contrast to his narrative that the region has abandoned the President.”
Onanuga, in a post on his social media platform,s wrote, “Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai appears to need some help, especially given his recent unfounded claims and speculations about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“It is increasingly evident that El-Rufai has recognised the futility of attempts by his associates in his new party to prevent President Tinubu’s likely re-election in 2027. This plot is proving to be unattainable, a mission doomed to fail.
“After reports of the grand reception President Tinubu received in Kaduna last Friday, El-Rufai was clearly surprised by the depth of support the President continues to enjoy in the North. This stands in stark contrast to his narrative that the region has abandoned the President.
“In response, he resorted to spreading further unfounded stories, including the claim that President Tinubu intends to become a “life president” after 2027—a speculation that is baseless and absurd.
“President Tinubu is a democrat who does not intend to stay in office beyond May 28, 2031, when re-elected in 2027.
“Governor Uba Sani may wish to reach out to his predecessor, as El-Rufai could benefit from some professional counselling to steer him away from his recent hallucinations and political fabrications on Tinubu and 2027,” he wrote.
Independent
