A former gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State, Salihu Isa Nataro, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to persuade Nasir el‑Rufai, the ex‑governor of Kaduna State, to rejoin the ruling party. Nataro’s appeal comes amid significant realignments in Nigeria’s political landscape, especially in the North‑West geopolitical zone. The recent removal of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as APC national chairman has reportedly weakened the zone’s influence within the party, raising concerns about its political representation.
Nataro emphasized that President Tinubu must focus on the North‑West, warning of a possible coalition led by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano State, under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) banner. Although the incumbent Kano governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, might defect to the APC, Nataro believes the region still lacks a unifying figure capable of mobilising broad support for the president. He attributed the rift between el‑Rufai and the Tinubu camp to envy and the actions of political detractors, describing the former Kaduna governor as a strategic asset with considerable regional influence.
Nataro criticized el‑Rufai’s reliance on foreign loans for urban‑renewal projects in Kaduna State, suggesting that the funds could have been better invested in education, agriculture, or cottage‑industry development. Nevertheless, he acknowledged el‑Rufai’s impressive public‑service record, including his tenure as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to Nataro, el‑Rufai’s return to the APC would markedly boost President Tinubu’s electoral prospects in the North‑West, given the former governor’s extensive political reach and influence. With the 2027 general elections approaching, Nataro’s call for el‑Rufai’s comeback underscores the importance of strategic alliances and party unity in confronting emerging political challenges. Such a move could strengthen the APC’s position in the North‑West, a crucial region in Nigeria’s political landscape.
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