By Ismaeel Aleem
Jonathan Vatsa, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, has criticised former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai for claiming that President Bola Tinubu could become a “life president” if re-elected in 2027.
Speaking in Minna, Vatsa described El-Rufai’s remarks as the outbursts of a “wounded lion” who has lost political relevance, attributing them to his exclusion from Tinubu’s cabinet, which he said has left El-Rufai “mentally disorganised.”
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Vatsa, a former Commissioner for Information, accused El-Rufai of exacerbating ethnic and religious divisions during his eight-year tenure as governor.
“The whole world saw how El-Rufai unleashed bandits and terrorists against the southern Kaduna people for eight years; blood flowed freely in Kaduna State under him,” he stated.
Jonathan argued that El-Rufai’s governance has rendered him politically irrelevant, even in Kaduna, where the APC lost the 2023 presidential election under his influence.
“Any political party that El-Rufai belongs to will lose elections in Kaduna State and the country in general,” he added.
Urging El-Rufai to retire quietly from politics, Vatsa asserted, “His continued involvement will yield nothing.”
He dismissed concerns about Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing an unwritten agreement that the South should complete an eight-year term before power shifts to the North in 2031.
Vatsa emphasised that national unity must take precedence over “selfish regional interests,” aligning his stance with Tinubu’s vision for inclusive governance.
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The criticism comes amid El-Rufai’s recent political activities, including his alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and meetings with opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, which some interpret as efforts to challenge Tinubu in 2027.
