Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has confirmed the formation of a political coalition with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the Arewa TechFest in Katsina on Wednesday, El-Rufai revealed that the coalition held a crucial meeting in Abuja on Tuesday night, with the explicit aim of ensuring "President Tinubu goes back to Lagos" after the next election.

"Yesterday at 8 PM, there was a very important meeting of the coalition we're putting together to ensure that President Tinubu goes back to Lagos," El-Rufai stated. He added that despite their opposition to the current administration, they would retain certain officials performing well, specifically mentioning Communications Minister Bosun Tijani.

"Though we will still keep Bosun Tijani, we will still keep the minister because he is doing good work," El-Rufai remarked.

Sources close to the development confirmed that the coalition has adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their official platform. The decision was reportedly finalized during the Tuesday meeting that extended into the early hours of Wednesday.

"They have adopted the African Democratic Party as the coalition party, all of them (Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai) are working together. They came to the conclusion last night up till the early hours of this morning," an insider revealed.

This development marks a significant realignment in Nigerian politics, bringing together three major political figures who were previously rivals. Atiku Abubakar was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, while Peter Obi contested under the Labour Party banner after leaving the PDP.

El-Rufai, a former member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had been a close ally of President Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaign before their relationship reportedly soured.

Political analysts suggest this coalition could significantly alter the political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, potentially presenting a formidable challenge to President Tinubu's expected re-election bid.