He Has More Youth As His Followers: El-Rufai Son Supports Peter Obi Over Atiku And Others
Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, would be more likely to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai stated this in a post on X on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
According to him, Obi, not former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, stands a better chance against President Tinubu if Obi picks a formidable Northern vice-presidential candidate.
He also noted that Obi presents a greater obstacle for Atiku, particularly due to his significant youth following and broad-based grassroots popularity.
“Atiku is a force to be reckoned with. He also feels the stars have finally aligned in his favour,” he wrote.
“And although 2019 is thought to have been his best shot, this may be one of those ‘moment meets the man’.
“However, the sheer force of Obi’s numbers and cult like follower-ship brings a challenge. His appeal across the youth & this younger generation is one profound aspect of his leverage. Obi, as a flag bearer with a strong Northern candidate, would defeat Pablo on election day before our dear mother of the nation — Aunty Remi finishes his breakfast around noon.”
El-Rufai’s comments are coming ahead of the 2027 elections, with a major coalition involving Abubakar, Obi and Ameachi seeking to grab power through the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
While Atiku recently quit the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Obi has yet to dump the Labour Party. However, the senior El-Rufai abandoned the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The party eventually banned him for 30 years for engaging in anti-party activities.
There are permutations that Abubakar will pick the ADC presidential ticket, which he has asked party leaders to throw open.
There are, however, fears in Obi’s camp that he might end up not picking the party’s ticket.
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