Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed his support for Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, highlighting him as one of the standout performers of the current administration. El-Rufai confirmed that Tijani would retain his position even if President Bola Tinubu is ousted in the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Wednesday at the second edition of the Arewa Tech Fest in Katsina State, El-Rufai praised Tijani’s contributions, stating, “We will still keep Bosun Tijani because he is doing good work,” reinforcing the minister’s significance in any future government.
The Arewa Tech Fest, a three-day technology and innovation summit, aims to foster technological advancement in northern Nigeria, gathering startups, tech professionals, investors, and policymakers. El-Rufai is the convenor of this event.
During the summit, Minister Tijani delivered the keynote address, focusing on the themes of digital transformation and innovation within Nigeria’s public and private sectors.
El-Rufai arrived late to the event, apologising for his delay, which he attributed to an important political meeting he attended the night before. “They (the organising team) had to come without me because yesterday (Tuesday) at 8pm there was a very important meeting of the coalition we’re putting together to ensure that President Tinubu goes back to Lagos,” he explained. “I had to attend that meeting at 8pm. The Katsina airport does not operate after 8pm, so I could not come until this morning,” he added.
Once a prominent figure within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai has emerged as a key player in a political alliance aimed at challenging President Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 general election. His defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in March has further solidified his shift in political alignment and sparked discussions about a broader coalition aimed at countering the APC’s influence.
El-Rufai’s recent statements not only affirm the existence of this coalition but also publicly position Tijani as a valuable technocrat whose expertise transcends party affiliations.
