Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has voiced serious doubts over the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that the commission, under its current leadership, is unlikely to approve the registration of the proposed opposition coalition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Monday, El-Rufai directly questioned the impartiality of INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, suggesting that unlike his predecessor Attahiru Jega, Yakubu may act in line with the interests of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “Dr. Mahmoud Yakubu is not Jega, and President Tinubu is not Jonathan. Those were the people in charge when APC was registered,” he said.
He further hinted that the ruling party might leverage INEC as a tool to suppress dissent and limit the political space for credible opposition voices. “We said, let’s try [registering the new party] anyway. Let’s show that INEC is not independent. Let’s show that this government is interfering to ensure there is no opposition,” he added.
New Opposition Platform Faces Uncertain Future
The new political vehicle being considered by opposition leaders is tentatively called the African Democratic Assembly (ADA). However, El-Rufai admitted that the path to its official registration is uncertain and potentially obstructed by systemic barriers.
El-Rufai revealed that the opposition coalition is simultaneously exploring the option of reviving dormant political parties such as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) or African Democratic Congress (ADC) as backup platforms. “We are pursuing both paths,” he said. “And if both become available, then the leadership will sit down, consult, and take their views to the plenary, and a decision will be taken.”
Despite the legal and political obstacles, he emphasized that the coalition’s resolve is strong. “Many were pessimistic about registering a new party. But we’re going to try. We are not engaging in a merger, but in a coalition of individuals willing to abandon their parties once consensus is reached,” he clarified.
Coalition of Individuals, Not Parties, to Drive Change
El-Rufai stressed that the emerging political coalition is not a formal alliance of existing political parties, but rather a convergence of individuals with shared democratic goals and regional influence. Notable figures reportedly involved include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and NNPP’s Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“I’m not there representing SDP. I’m there as an individual with some political weight, no matter how small, in my state or in the Northwest,” El-Rufai explained. “This is how the coalition is formed. It has nothing to do with existing parties.”
According to him, once the group agrees on a single platform—either a revived party or a new registration—every member will resign from their current political affiliations and commit to the unified front.
El-Rufai: ‘I’m Not Ambitious—Just Righting a Wrong’
In a striking admission during the interview, El-Rufai declared that he harbours no political ambition and is motivated purely by a moral obligation to correct what he described as a tragic mistake—his role in bringing President Bola Tinubu to power.
“I have no ambition. I just feel that having contributed to bringing about this tragedy to Nigeria, by contributing to the emergence of Bola Tinubu as president, I should contribute towards removing this evil that I believe will destroy Nigeria if left unchecked,” El-Rufai stated.
He reiterated his commitment to rebuilding a viable opposition not for personal gain, but for the future of the country. “This is not about personal interest; it’s about saving Nigeria from a destructive path,” he added.
Allegations of State Interference in Opposition Politics
El-Rufai accused the ruling APC and the federal government of infiltrating opposition parties to weaken internal cohesion and sabotage their credibility. According to him, such “viruses” have been injected into the Labour Party, PDP, and NNPP, making a clean slate with a new party more appealing.
“What the government has been doing is to create problems in opposition parties by recruiting and financing viruses to multiply,” he said. “This is what is happening in the Labour Party, the PDP, and even the NNPP.”
He warned that if allowed to continue unchecked, the current administration would entrench one-party dominance and suppress Nigeria’s democratic evolution. “We’re going to expose all of it,” he vowed, “because democracy without viable opposition is a sham.”
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