2027: Core Northerners have embraced Atiku’s politics for the first time, could be game-changer for him – El-Rufai’s son

Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has claimed that former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is gaining increased acceptance among voters in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Bashir made the claim in a post on his official X account on Thursday, arguing that Atiku is enjoying a level of acceptance among what he described as the “core North” that he had not experienced in previous presidential campaigns.

According to him, Atiku’s image as a politician who is less influenced by ethnic considerations is contributing to the growing support.

“Atiku is gaining traction in the North. For the first time in his political career, he is being embraced by the core North, in part because of his mantra of being the most detribalised, historically, of the bunch,” Bashir wrote.

Bashir also linked Atiku’s growing political appeal to the ongoing debate over the former vice president’s proposal to reintroduce a targeted fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.

In an earlier post, he argued that the subsidy debate was putting pressure on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, describing the issue as one capable of shaping the political contest.

“That calculus could be the game-changer. They are rattled. This subsidy debate forged by Atiku forms a perfect narrative to the realities on the ground,” he stated.

Atiku has maintained that his proposed intervention would be targeted and designed to ease the economic burden on Nigerians, while the Federal Government and some petroleum industry stakeholders have opposed a return to the previous subsidy regime.

Bashir’s comments come as political parties and presidential contenders intensify their preparations for the 2027 election, with the economy and the impact of petrol subsidy removal emerging as major campaign issues.

His assessment, however, represents his personal political view and does not by itself establish the level of Atiku’s support across the North.

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