The Presidency has dismissed remarks by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting that President Bola Tinubu may attempt to extend his stay in power beyond constitutional limits.

El-Rufai, who recently hosted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Kaduna, had likened Tinubu to Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982 and recently declared his intention to contest again at 92, warning that Nigeria could face a similar situation if the President is not voted out in 2027.

“The sum total of this is that we are facing an evil of such a large proportion in the history of this country that if we don’t come together and end this Tinubu administration by 2027, Tinubu will try to be our Paul Biya. All the signs are there,” El-Rufai had said during the event, which was disrupted by suspected political thugs.

Responding in a statement via his X handle on Sunday night, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described El-Rufai’s remarks as “baseless speculation” and “political fabrication.”

Onanuga argued that the former governor’s comments were fueled by the massive reception Tinubu received during his visit to Kaduna last Friday, which, he said, proved that the President still enjoys strong support in the North.

“After reports of the grand reception President Tinubu received in Kaduna, El-Rufai was clearly surprised by the depth of support the President continues to enjoy in the North. This stands in stark contrast to his narrative that the region has abandoned the President,” Onanuga wrote.

He stressed that President Tinubu remains committed to democratic principles and has no intention of staying in power beyond May 28, 2031, if re-elected in 2027.

Onanuga further alleged that El-Rufai’s political allies were unsettled by Tinubu’s growing acceptance nationwide and warned that any attempt to stop the President’s re-election bid would “end in failure.”

He also urged Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to engage his predecessor constructively, adding that El-Rufai “could benefit from professional counselling to steer him away from his recent political fabrications.”