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• Asks ex-governor to X-ray own popularity in Kaduna
Laide Raheem, from Abeokuta
The Yoruba Youth Pacesetters (YYP) has criticised former Kaduna State governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, for accusing the Federal Government of sponsoring bandits and predicting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will lose his re-election bid in 2027.
El-Rufai, in a Channels Television interview at the weekend, alleged that both the Federal and Kaduna State governments were behind the disruption of an ADC meeting in Kaduna by thugs. He also declared that President Tinubu would finish third in the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement yesterday, YYP National President, Dapo Fasola, described the remarks as “lamentations of a frustrated politician,” accusing El-Rufai of making unfounded claims against an administration committed to tackling terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges.
Fasola noted that since his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ADC, the former governor has become a “critic-in-chief” of the Tinubu government, even as many northern leaders and stakeholders have expressed support for the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The group urged El-Rufai to reassess his political relevance in Kaduna rather than blaming the APC or the Federal Government for his setbacks.
On El-Rufai’s prediction that President Tinubu would lose in 2027, YYP dismissed his comments as baseless. “It is laughable to hear ex-governor El-Rufai saying the president will come third in the 2027 presidential election. What a ludicrous statement and balderdash,” the group stated.
According to YYP, Tinubu’s policies have stabilised the economy, improved security operations, and restored investor confidence. It further claimed that his foreign engagements have started yielding positive results, with multinational companies showing renewed interest in Nigeria.
“The reality on ground has clearly shown that President Tinubu will defeat the coalition being bandied around by the former governor and his co-travellers,” the statement read.
YYP emphasised that Nigerians, particularly in the north, are now more politically aware and would not be swayed by “expired political rhetoric.”
The group pledged continued mobilisation across the southwest and other regions to ensure Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
