Breaking: El-Rufai Mentions How ADC' ll Chose Its Presidential Candidate in 2027, "It'll Not Happen"
- Former Kaduna state governor and ADC chieftain Malam Nasir El-Rufai said the party rejected zoning and opted for open presidential primaries
- El-Rufai said the ADC quietly mobilised at grassroots level and began membership registration ahead of congresses and convention
- The former governor said the ADC planned to unveil an ethical governance manifesto and backed electronic transmission of election results
Former Kaduna state governor and leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said the party will not zone its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former governor likewise insisted that all aspirants will be allowed to contest freely.
Source: Twitter
El-Rufai made the disclosure during an exclusive interview on Trust TV’s 30 Minutes, monitored by Daily Trust, where he outlined the opposition party’s strategy for selecting its flagbearer and positioning itself as an alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the ADC is committed to open and competitive primaries rather than zoning or imposing consensus candidates.
“We will not have zoning. We will not have any of that. Everyone will be given the opportunity to contest, and whoever wins will be supported by all," El-Rufai said.
ADC organising quietly ahead of elections
Responding to concerns about the ADC’s perceived silence despite growing public dissatisfaction with the current government, El-Rufai said the party was organising strategically at grassroots level rather than engaging in early media blitzes.
He explained that unlike the APC in 2014, the ADC is a coalition of individuals, not parties, which requires more time to settle and build internal structures.
“A lot of background work is being done. A lot of outreach at the grassroots is going on, even if it is not visible in the media,” he said.
He added that membership registration had begun and would be followed by congresses and a national convention.
El-Rufai: Grassroots mobilisation underway
El-Rufai said the party was mobilising aggressively at polling unit and ward levels, tapping into public anger over governance and economic hardship.
He claimed that many elected APC officials now struggled to visit their constituencies due to public discontent, stressing that ADC’s mobilisation was civic and non-violent.
“We are not mobilising people to be violent. We are mobilising people to ask questions,” he said.
ADC's promise of ethical governance
The former governor said the ADC would soon unveil a manifesto focused on ethical leadership, performance, and service delivery, describing the party as a credible alternative to the Tinubu administration, Daily Trust reported.
“We are going to offer Nigerians an ethical government and a manifesto that works for the people,” he said.
El-Rufai slams Tinubu administration
El-Rufai was sharply critical of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, accusing it of cronyism, tribalism, and poor governance.
He said his political support for Tinubu during the 2023 elections was based on party loyalty and a principle of power rotation to the South, not personal friendship.
“We never had a personal relationship. I supported the party’s candidate because that is my principle, but the philosophy of this government is contrary to everything I stand for," he said.
Support for electronic transmission of results
On electoral reforms, El-Rufai expressed strong support for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units, warning that removing the provision would encourage manipulation at collation centres.
Source: Twitter
He said he would have joined ADC leaders, including Peter Obi, in protests at the National Assembly if he had been in the country.
“That provision is the only way to stop the manipulation that goes on in collation centres,” he said.
Optimism over Electoral Act amendment
El-Rufai expressed confidence that the National Assembly’s conference committee would recommend restoring electronic transmission of results and that lawmakers would act in the interest of voters.
“This is about the people of Nigeria. It is about giving Nigerians the opportunity to vote and ensuring that their votes are not manipulated," he said.
He added that despite widespread scepticism, he remained optimistic about Nigeria’s democratic future, insisting that political power ultimately rested with the electorate.
National security: El-Rufai raises fresh alarm
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s security architecture, warning that the country is drifting from national security to what he described as “regime security”.
Referencing Nigeria’s National Security Strategy (2019), the former governor noted that security is defined as “the cornerstone of development and progress in a free society”.
Source: Legit.ng
