People, Not Governors, Will Decide 2027” – El-Rufai Stakes Coalition on Grassroots

Malam Nasir El-Rufai, a driving force behind the burgeoning opposition alliance, insists the coalition can topple President Tinubu without aristocratic endorsements.
Speaking to reporters in Kano, the ex-Kaduna governor—now with the SDP—said, “A governor casts one vote; millions of Nigerians hold far more power. Our campaign is about mobilising real voters, not chasing political officeholders.”
El-Rufai’s declaration follows the PDP Governors’ Forum’s rebuff of any merger ahead of 2027. Despite overtures from Atiku Abubakar and coalition allies after a meeting with former President Buhari, the forum in Ibadan reaffirmed its focus on rebuilding the PDP internally, rejecting alliances with breakaway groups.
Some individual PDP governors have since publicly affirmed loyalty to Tinubu, while a few have defected to the APC, a move El-Rufai dismisses as inconsequential.
“The loss of Lagos in 2023—even with a sitting governor—proved that voters, not governors, determine outcomes,” he noted. Reflecting on his own record in Kaduna, where he failed to deliver Tinubu despite incumbency, El-Rufai urged a people-driven strategy: “We’re building an alternative that speaks directly to citizens.”
Coalition talks on presidential candidates, he said, will follow once the platform is solidified. For now, the emphasis remains on forging a grassroots movement unbound by traditional power brokers.