President Bola Tinubu could be in serious trouble as the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has stressed the need for a renewed political alliance between Northern Nigeria and the South-South region to help steer the country towards stability and progress.
During a condolence visit on Friday to the family of late Chief Edwin Clark, elder statesman and Niger Delta leader who died on February 17, Mr. El-Rufai acknowledged the historical political collaboration between the regions.
“In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the North’s traditional political partners were from the South-South. We should revive that relationship to save Nigeria because the country is in need of a rescue mission,” he stated.
Though, the discussion appears to center around coalition-building ahead of 2027 general elections.
Recently, Mr. El-Rufai’s outreach to various political figures has fueled discussions of potential realignments.
The former Kaduna governor, who was with ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar during the condolence visit, commended Abubakar’s contributions to economic reforms during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration from 1999 to 2007.
Moreover, El-Rufai has met with prominent opposition figures, including Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former aide to Sani Abacha, and Shehu Gabam, the national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
These meetings are believed to be strategic discussions leading up to 2027.
However, speculation around El-Rufai’s political future has intensified, especially following his remarks last month about his growing distance from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).