ABUJA – A political firestorm has erupted in the nation’s capital as former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai declared “total political war” on the administration of President Bola Tinubu, warning that his recent brushes with security agencies have only stiffened his resolve to flip the presidency in 2027.
In a series of blistering statements following his return to Nigeria, El-Rufai invoked the memory of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as a warning to those he claims are trying to “criminalise” him.
The Yar’Adua Warning
Addressing supporters and speaking during a high-stakes Arise TV interview, El-Rufai drew parallels between his current legal battles and his exile during the Yar’Adua era.
“Anybody that tries to criminalise me should know that I have been through this before,” El-Rufai said. “If they doubt my resilience, they should go and ask the spirit of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. I am more determined now than ever to see this government removed from office in 2027.”
While some social media reports have sensationalised his words into a “death wish” against the President, El-Rufai’s actual rhetoric focused on a political “fight to the finish” to prevent what he called a “President-for-life” agenda similar to Paul Biya’s in Cameroon.
From the TV Studio to the Dock
The Federal Government has moved with lightning speed to turn El-Rufai’s words against him. On Monday, February 16—his 66th birthday—the Federal Ministry of Justice officially arraigned the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The government’s case rests on a three-count charge under the Cybercrimes Act, stemming from El-Rufai’s admission that he had access to intercepted phone calls of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu.
The Presidency has dismissed El-Rufai’s outbursts as the “tantrums of a man running from his past,” specifically referencing the N432 billion corruption probe initiated by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
The Opposition Aligns
The drama has served as a rallying point for the opposition. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar visited El-Rufai over the weekend, condemning the “state-sponsored harassment” of the former governor.
El-Rufai, meanwhile, has been seen in deep consultations with leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), fueling rumors of a “mega-party” alliance aimed at unseating the APC.
“We must not rest until March 2027,” El-Rufai told his supporters. “They think they can use the DSS and EFCC to stop me, but they are only making me a more dangerous opponent.”
The Road Ahead
With the court case now officially underway, the “Spy-Gate” scandal is expected to dominate the headlines for months. Legal experts say that if convicted of tapping the NSA’s phone, El-Rufai could face significant jail time, which would effectively end his 2027 ambitions.
Is El-Rufai a whistleblower being silenced, or has he finally crossed a legal red line?
