The presidency has hit back at Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, over his recent remarks predicting President Bola Tinubu’s defeat in 2027, accusing him of disloyalty and personal ambition.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued a blistering response on Wednesday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle. He referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 2014 memoir My Watch, in which Obasanjo described El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome” and having a “penchant for lying and betrayal.”

“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Onanuga posted, echoing Obasanjo’s words.

Obasanjo had accused El-Rufai of betraying friends and family, writing:

“He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends… he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle and even his half-brother.”

The fiery rebuttal follows El-Rufai’s explosive Arise TV interview, where he claimed Tinubu would need “a miracle” to win re-election. El-Rufai cited an internal poll allegedly showing 91% public disapproval of Tinubu’s government and only 22% support in Lagos the president’s stronghold.

The former governor, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), is now working alongside opposition leaders such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to forge a united front ahead of 2027.

Onanuga’s remarks underline growing tensions within the political elite and signal what is shaping up to be an intense and personal contest for power in the next general election.