Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has made fresh comments on the outcome of the last general election and the current direction of the ruling party, pointing to significant electoral losses in Kaduna State and broader issues affecting Nigeria’s democratic process.

 

El-Rufai spoke during an interview with TrustTV News where he reflected on the performance of the presidential candidate he supported and the results recorded in his home state. He noted that the outcome did not match the expectations of party loyalists who had anticipated stronger results.

 

According to him, despite his firm loyalty and active support for the party’s presidential ticket, the candidate failed to secure victory in Kaduna State. He said the loss was reflected not only in the presidential vote but also in the party’s diminished legislative strength in the state.

 

El-Rufai revealed that the party lost three Senate seats during the elections, seats it had previously held. He recalled that Kaduna had earlier produced two senators under the same political platform, stressing that the reversal marked a major setback to the party’s influence in the state.

 

He also explained that his absence from the country at a critical period prevented him from joining others who were challenging the conduct of the elections. According to him, he returned later than expected, by which time the opportunity for collective action had passed.

 

The former governor said that if he had been in the country, he would have stood alongside Peter Obi and other opposition figures at the National Assembly to press for reforms aimed at ensuring fairness and transparency in the electoral process.

 

El-Rufai identified real-time and mandatory electronic transmission of election results as the only credible way to curb manipulation, arguing that the current system allows alterations during result collation and creates doubts about the authenticity of votes cast.

 

His remarks came against the backdrop of a protest led by Peter Obi, following his move to the African Democratic Congress, alongside civil society organisations at the National Assembly. The protesters called for immediate action on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025.

 

The bill seeks to make electronic transmission of results from polling units compulsory, with supporters warning that without a legally binding digital process, the credibility of the 2027 general elections could be undermined.

 

Summarising his position, El-Rufai said, “Tinubu lost, even though I’m one of his strong supporters. He didn’t win Kaduna. We lost three Senate seats. We had two Senate seats before we lost them.”

 

His comments have reignited discussions around electoral transparency, party performance, and representation in Kaduna State and across the country.