Bashir El-Rufai says Atiku Abubakar will not be ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate, urging a North-South ticket for political balance
Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has said he is confident that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not represent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 presidential election.
Also read: Atiku Declares ADC the Only Party to Salvage Nigeria
Bashir made the statement on Thursday in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, responding to a comment by social media user @Osi_Sauve, who suggested that the ADC would face a heavy defeat if Atiku became its candidate.
“It won’t be Atiku. I believe Atiku should be the statesman and the godfather at this historic turning point in our nation,” Bashir wrote, adding that Atiku’s role should be to guide and support the next generation of political leaders rather than contest for the presidency.
Bashir argued that Nigeria is at a critical stage in its political development and that the ADC would have a stronger chance in the 2027 election if it fields a candidate from the South-East region, paired with a popular and influential Northern running mate.
He said this North-South combination would create a politically balanced ticket appealing to a wide range of voters.
“They are easily defeated by my calculus with that strategy,” Bashir added, suggesting that the proposed arrangement would give the ADC a clear advantage over rival parties at the polls.
Also read: Atiku Declares ADC the Only Party to Salvage Nigeria
His comments come amid growing political discussions as parties begin to consider possible candidates and regional power-sharing arrangements for the 2027 elections.
