THE former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming it poses a greater threat to Nigeria’s democracy than any past military regime.
El-Rufai made the remarks while hosting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar at his Kaduna residence over the weekend.
Atiku had paid him a solidarity visit following the violent disruption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) inauguration in the state, where thugs stormed the venue.
Accusing the Tinubu administration of authoritarian tendencies, El-Rufai alleged that the government was centralizing power instead of promoting true federalism.
He likened President Tinubu’s leadership style to that of Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982, warning that Nigeria risked sliding into long-term authoritarian rule if urgent action was not taken.
“The era of claiming to defend democracy and federalism was all pretense,” El-Rufai said, arguing that Tinubu’s government is behaving worse than past military juntas.
He urged opposition leaders to unite ahead of the 2027 elections, describing Atiku as an experienced leader who had previously fought against authoritarianism.
Responding, Atiku commended El-Rufai for his outspokenness and called on opposition figures to remain united and committed to removing the APC government through democratic means.