Bashir El-Rufai says Atiku’s Northern support is growing, arguing that his appeal in the core North and subsidy stance could influence the 2027 election
Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, said on Thursday, August 27, 2026, that African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is gaining acceptance in Nigeria’s core North ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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Bashir made the claim in a post on X while assessing the former vice-president’s political prospects and the evolving contest for the presidency.
“Atiku is gaining traction in the North. For the first time in his political career, he is being embraced by the core North,” Bashir wrote.
He attributed the reported shift partly to Atiku’s longstanding presentation of himself as a politically detribalised Nigerian.
Bashir suggested that the development could become a significant factor in the 2027 contest, particularly if the former vice-president can convert the reported goodwill into sustained grassroots support.
The comments come as Atiku and other opposition figures intensify efforts to build a broad coalition ahead of the election.
The ADC has emerged as a platform for several opposition politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Bashir also linked Atiku’s growing appeal to the former vice-president’s position on fuel subsidy.
Atiku has recently advocated targeted government intervention to reduce the burden of high energy and transport costs on Nigerians.
“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,” Bashir said.
Atiku’s position has generated debate within the political space, with supporters presenting the proposal as a response to the cost-of-living crisis, while critics have questioned the sustainability and implications of renewed subsidy intervention.
The former vice-president has previously maintained that his proposed intervention would be targeted and focused on reducing production and transportation costs rather than returning to the previous open-ended import subsidy regime.
His camp has said the approach would include measurable conditions for eventual withdrawal as domestic refining capacity improves.
Bashir’s comments also contained a personal reflection on his father, Nasir El-Rufai, whose political position has remained a subject of considerable attention.
“When I visit my father, I always leave truly amazed by how it is we, on the outside, that are bothered. His resilience, uplifting spirit and usual banter hit in a profound way,” Bashir wrote.
He said he had asked his father whether he still believed the sacrifices he had made were worthwhile.
“Without hesitation, he said YES,” Bashir added.
The claims about Atiku’s level of acceptance in the core North are Bashir El-Rufai’s political assessment and have not been independently established through polling data in the reports reviewed.
Nevertheless, the North remains an important battleground in the 2027 presidential race because of its large electorate and longstanding influence on national elections.
Atiku, who served as vice-president from 1999 to 2007 and has contested the presidency several times, will need to build support beyond his traditional political base if the ADC is to mount a competitive national campaign.
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With the 2027 election approaching, any sustained increase in Atiku Northern support could prove politically significant, particularly if it is accompanied by stronger organisation and wider acceptance across other regions.
