Tinubu's Govt Worse Than Any Military Regime – El-Rufai

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as more repressive than any military government Nigeria has ever experienced.

El-Rufai made the remarks while receiving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Kaduna over the weekend. 

Atiku had visited the former governor in solidarity following the violent disruption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) inauguration in the state, an incident that has since drawn wide condemnation.

According to El-Rufai, the Tinubu government is drifting into authoritarianism by centralising power at the expense of federalism. 

He argued that despite years of pro-democracy activism, the ruling class had abandoned the ideals they once claimed to defend.

“What we are seeing today is a complete betrayal of those who claimed to fight for democracy and federalism. Instead of decentralising power, everything is being pulled to the centre. This is nothing short of a disgrace,” he said.

The former governor further compared Tinubu to Cameroon’s long-serving president, Paul Biya, warning that Nigeria risked sliding into prolonged one-man rule if urgent steps were not taken.

“All the signs are there. If Nigerians don’t unite and end this government by 2027, Tinubu may attempt to entrench himself in power just like Paul Biya did in Cameroon,” El-Rufai cautioned.

While commending Atiku’s history of political struggle, El-Rufai insisted that the opposition must close ranks to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy. 

He stressed that Tinubu’s style of governance was already stifling dissent in ways unseen even under military rulers.

“Even Buhari, with his military background, never harassed people simply because they held a different opinion. But under Tinubu, civilians are behaving worse than soldiers ever did,” he added.

El-Rufai expressed confidence that Nigerians were ready to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election. He urged Atiku to lead efforts to unite opposition parties ahead of 2027.

“The people are waiting. What they need from us is leadership and unity of purpose. With your experience and ability to bring people together, I believe we can achieve that,” he told Atiku.

The remarks come amid rising political tension in Kaduna following the attack on the ADC’s event. Police authorities have since invited El-Rufai and other party leaders for questioning over the incident.