Presidency Rejects ‘Life President’ Claims, Affirms Tinubu will leave Office in 2031

Presidency Rejects ‘Life President’ Claims, Affirms Tinubu Will Leave Office in 2031

 

 

 

The Presidency has dismissed claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intends to remain in power indefinitely.

 

El-Rufai had alleged that Tinubu might aim to become a “life president” after the 2027 general elections. However, in a statement released on Sunday, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President described the allegation as baseless and unfounded.

 

The statement noted that El-Rufai appeared unsettled by the continued strong support the President enjoys, particularly in the northern region. It further emphasised that Tinubu is a committed democrat with no intention of extending his tenure beyond May 28, 2031, following a potential re-election in 2027.

 

The Presidency said, “Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai seems to need some guidance in view of his recent unfounded claims about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is clear that El-Rufai has recognised the futility of attempts by his associates to prevent President Tinubu’s likely re-election in 2027, a mission doomed to fail.”

 

The statement added that the President’s warm reception in Kaduna last Friday demonstrated the depth of his support in the North, contrary to El-Rufai’s claims that the region had abandoned him.

 

“It is unfortunate that El-Rufai has resorted to spreading baseless stories, including the notion that President Tinubu intends to become a ‘life president.’ This claim is absurd. President Tinubu is a democrat who will not stay in office beyond May 28, 2031,” the statement said.

 

The Presidency concluded by suggesting that El-Rufai may benefit from professional counsel to steer him away from what it described as political fabrications.