The national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has urged the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, to desist from launching media attacks against the incumbent administration.

Speaking on Sunday during an interview with Tribune Online, Basiru insisted that such moves were distracting President Bola Tinubu and urged El-Rufai to wait till 2027 before he begins his media attacks.

He wondered why the former governor was expending energy on a political contest still two years away.

Basiru shared his reservation while reacting to El-Rufai’s remarks on Saturday in Sokoto, where he addressed African Democratic Congress (ADC) supporters in the north-west as part of the opposition party’s grassroots mobilisation efforts.

El-Rufai cautioned Nigerians against voting for the APC in the next presidential election, warning that the country would struggle to survive another four years under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The former Kaduna governor said he joined the coalition to ensure the APC is voted out of power, adding that he is ready to mobilise Nigerians to eject the “incompetent” ruling party.

In response, Basiru urged El-Rufai to find other engagements to fill his time before the 2027 general election.

He said, “Why is he in a hurry? 2027 is far. The guidelines for the 2027 elections won’t be out until February 2026. El-Rufai should go and find a job to do.

“He can go back to school to enrich his knowledge, or play with his grandchildren. We are too busy fixing our party, and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is busy with governance. He should not distract us.”