Power-hungry politicians seeking to remove Tinubu — Presidency

The Throne and the Thirst: Aso Rock Warns of Desperate Moves to Unseat Tinubu

In a blistering rebuttal to growing political murmurs, the Nigerian Presidency has lashed out at what it calls a cabal of “power-hungry politicians” allegedly scheming to oust President Bola Tinubu before the 2027 elections. The accusation, delivered by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, paints a picture of a political landscape riddled with ambition, contradiction, and betrayal.

At the heart of the controversy is former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, once a vocal supporter of Tinubu’s presidential bid. In a recent televised interview, El-Rufai predicted that Tinubu would not survive the first round of the 2027 elections, claiming the president would, at best, place third. He cited internal weaknesses, dwindling popularity, and historical parallels to the fall of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. El-Rufai’s remarks were laced with skepticism, suggesting that Tinubu’s reliance on state machinery, money, security forces, and electoral bodies, would not guarantee victory.

But the Presidency was quick to fire back. Onanuga accused El-Rufai of hypocrisy, pointing to a past statement where the former governor admitted that four years was insufficient for any leader to enact meaningful change. “Yet he is at the forefront of the gang of political desperados plotting President Tinubu’s ouster, just two years into his tenure. What a contradiction!” Onanuga wrote on his X handle.

The presidential aide didn’t stop there. He touted Tinubu’s achievements over the past two years, claiming that the administration had made significant strides in economic reform, wealth creation, and social welfare. According to Onanuga, Nigeria’s foreign reserves have hit a 44-month high, the stock market has surged from 53,000 to over 140,000 points, and over ₦26 trillion in new wealth has been generated. He also highlighted reforms such as the harmonization of exchange rates, inflation reduction, and the rollout of student loans and cash transfers to vulnerable households.

Onanuga’s message was clear: those calling for Tinubu’s removal are not driven by national interest but by personal ambition and a sense of political displacement. He described them as “political laggards and underachievers” who once held sway in states like Anambra, Rivers, and Kaduna but now find themselves on the fringes of relevance. “May they never succeed in their plot against our nation and people,” he declared.

As the political temperature rises ahead of 2027, the clash between former allies and the current administration reveals deep fractures within Nigeria’s power structure. Whether Tinubu’s presidency can weather the storm of internal dissent remains to be seen, but for now, the gloves are off, and the battle lines are drawn.