A key figure in the emerging coalition of opposition parties, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that the coalition does not need the backing of governors to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a media chat with journalists in Kano yesterday, the former Kaduna State governor — who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) — said the coalition’s strategy is focused on mobilising voters directly, not courting political officeholders.
“We are trying to offer Nigerians a real alternative — something different from what they have seen before,” El-Rufai said.
“A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have many more votes than one governor or even 36 governors combined,” he added.
El-Rufai’s remarks come against the backdrop of the PDP Governors’ Forum rejecting any coalition or merger ahead of 2027.
Following a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, alongside coalition members including El-Rufai, there had been speculation that the PDP governors would align with the new opposition movement.
However, after a meeting in Ibadan — attended by the party’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and several governors — the forum distanced itself from coalition efforts.
“We are not merging with anyone. We are focused on rebuilding our party for the future,” the forum said after the meeting.
Signalling another shift reminiscent of how some PDP governors worked for Tinubu’s emergence in 2023, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, few days after the forum’s resolution publicly assured President Tinubu that his state would stand by him to complete a second term.
Speaking at the flag-off of the Akwa Ibom–Cross River section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Eno said: “We believe in continuity, and Akwa Ibom will stand with Mr. President to complete his eight years in office.”
Shortly after, defections by Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, another PDP governor; Atiku’s 2023 running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and their supporters to the APC which was formalised yesterday were seen by many as a significant blow to the opposition’s momentum.
‘Governors don’t determine election outcomes’
Reacting to the defections, El-Rufai maintained that the coalition’s prospects remain intact, as their strategy does not hinge on governors.
“The fact that one governor from the PDP has defected means nothing. We are not counting on governors to win elections. We are counting on the people,” he said.
“A governor has only one vote. Nigerians — millions of them — have more power than 36 governors combined.
“It doesn’t matter if you gather all the governors together; if the people of Nigeria say they are not with you, it is over,” he said.
El-Rufai pointed to President Tinubu’s experience in Lagos in 2023, noting: “The president had a sitting governor in Lagos — and still lost Lagos. So, what is the real value of a governor?”
Reflecting on his own experience, he recalled: “I was the governor of Kaduna State. I fought hard to deliver President Tinubu in my state, but I lost. That taught me a hard lesson — that elections are ultimately decided by the people, not by political figures.”
He stressed that the coalition’s approach would be people-driven.
“Governors do not determine election results. The people do. We want the SDP and our coalition to remind Nigerians of that fundamental truth,” he added.
No discussions on candidates yet
Asked about potential presidential candidates for the coalition with the likes of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi already being tipped, El-Rufai said conversations about who would lead the coalition were premature.
“Our focus now is not on selecting candidates. It is on building the platform first.
“We have told all those with presidential aspirations: put aside your ambitions for now. Join us as equal members and help us build a credible alternative,” he said.
He noted that while aspirants with large followings are welcome, the coalition would not be driven by personal ambitions at this stage.
“If and when all opposition groups come under the SDP, we will have that conversation.
“But for now, we must work together to build something Nigerians can trust,” he said.
El-Rufai also distanced himself from regional politics, stating that Nigeria’s existential crisis demands a leader capable of solving real problems, regardless of region.
“I no longer care where the president comes from. I want a candidate who can offer real solutions to Nigeria’s problems and excite Nigerians enough to come out and vote,” he stated.
He warned that if Nigeria’s current trajectory continues unchecked, there may be no country left to contest over by 2027.
“We are facing an existential crisis. It is not about North or South anymore. It is about survival, unity, and progress. Whoever can deliver that — wherever they come from — will have my support,” he further stated.
“We were never planning a PDP merger”
El-Rufai also addressed the PDP governors’ refusal to join the coalition, clarifying that the intention from the beginning was never to merge with the PDP.
“From the beginning, our intention was never to merge with the PDP. We have been very clear about that.
“The PDP is a spent force. It is a party targeted for destruction, and, frankly, it has almost succeeded,” he said.
According to him, the coalition seeks to present Nigerians with a genuine alternative — not a rebranded version of parties already associated with crises and failure.
“We are not looking at political parties that are already ravaged by internal conflicts. We are building something fresh, something that will inspire hope.
“When Nigerians look at the faces involved, they will hopefully say: ‘Yes, maybe this time it will be different.’ That is the goal, and it is ongoing,” he added.
El-Rufai disclosed that efforts are underway to unify various opposition groups under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“Our objective is not to merge political parties. We have been through that before, and we know how long and complicated that process is.
“What we are trying to do is bring like-minded people — who believe Nigeria needs real change — under one umbrella,” he said.
He explained that the SDP was chosen after a detailed evaluation of political parties likely to survive the post-election deregistration process by INEC.
“As you know, INEC now has the power to deregister parties without any elected member at the state Assembly level,” he explained.
“We assessed the ones that cannot be deregistered, and concluded that the SDP ranked highest. It has pedigree, it has history — but it still needs building.”
El-Rufai stressed that building a party is far harder than merely registering one:
“Forming a party is easy. Building a party — registering members, holding congresses, building leadership from the polling unit to the national level — is the real work,” he further stated.
He emphasised that the new movement would prioritise internal democracy:
“What destroyed previous parties in Nigeria is a lack of internal democracy and the stranglehold of godfathers. We want to eliminate that. The APC started with hope, but it became controlled by one or two people. We want a party that no one owns, where everyone has a voice,” he said. (Daily trust)
