El-Rufai Vows to Oust ‘Tyrannical’ Tinubu Govt During Solidarity Visit from Atiku

The political alliance against the current administration reached a fever pitch on Friday as former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar held a high-stakes meeting in Abuja. Still reeling from a Thursday airport confrontation that saw his passport seized by the DSS, a defiant El-Rufai told Atiku that the incident has only “energized” his mission to see President Bola Tinubu voted out of office.

“Your Excellency, I assure you that what happened at the airport has further reinforced my belief that we must work hard,” El-Rufai said during the visit. “We must not sleep between now and March 2027 until we remove this tyrant from office. They know that if we are in Nigeria, we will organize to remove them and that is exactly what will happen.”

The meeting served as a powerful visual of the emerging “Mega Coalition” under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) banner. El-Rufai used the platform to provide more details on his airport ordeal, alleging that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) bypassed all legal protocols to “abduct” him. He claimed the agency acted on direct orders from National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who he says is terrified of the opposition’s growing momentum.

Atiku Abubakar, who has become a frequent visitor to El-Rufai since both joined the ADC, slammed the government for “weaponizing” anti-graft agencies. He described the attempted arrest as a “sad day for democracy,” reinforcing the narrative that the ruling APC is attempting to ground its most vocal critics before the 2027 election season officially kicks off.

“This government knows it is unelectable,” El-Rufai added, “and they want to remain in power at all costs by reducing security agencies to political thugs. But they have failed. I am more determined now than ever.”

While the Presidency has dismissed these claims as “sensationalist theater,” the sight of two of Nigeria’s most formidable political strategists vowing to “never sleep” has sent a clear message: the State of Harmony in Nigeria’s political landscape is officially over, and the battle for the next presidency is being fought in the streets and the courts right now.