BREAKING: In just 4 hours, N45.75m raised for El-Rufai’s 2027 nomination forms – ESG Leader
By KEMI KASUMU
“We are deeply humbled and overwhelmed by this massive outpouring of support in such a short time. It shows that the fire Mallam lit in our hearts cannot be quenched; not even by detention.”
The Director General of El-Rufai Support Group (ESG), Dr. Uche Diala, has announced the realisation – so far – of N4,750,000 in just four hours towards the purchase African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s nomination forms in the group’s effort to drag the former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai into the race to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from power in the 2027 presidential election in Nigeria.
It will be recalled that known aspirant in the person of Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi recently obtained his own form for N90 million. The opposition coalition’s party agree to allow as many aspirants as possible and to enable a level ground as well as fair and credible process in the primaries that will be conducted. Whoever emerges will be supported by others who are unable to make the ticket.
With the Diala’s latest announcement, what a concerned Nigerian made as a mere social media warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC, recently, is now coming to past.
The unnamed Nigerian had warned that the president and party’s alleged persecution of El-Rufai, who has been continuously and indefensibly denied his constitutionally guaranteed bail in a bailable case, could end up making the former Kaduna State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) a presidential candidate and elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the alleged imprisonment to which he has been subjected.
A source had on Friday May 8, 2026 expressed concerns about what he described as costly mistake Tinubu committed to have fallen into the trap of arresting El-Rufai. “This incessant arrest, detentions, denials of bail and inexcusable adjournments of his bail application hearings, who are the people advising him to do these? Who does not know that all these alleged controversial court actions could not have happened without the knowledge of the president?
“El-Rufai’s popularity, no doubt, was high before, after all he made Tinubu president but that popularity is now far double with the way they are using the anti-corruption agencies to persecute the former Governor whose integrity is never in doubt even to his worst enemy. And the involvement of the courts is another one that the North and some other watchers of events in the South have come to a conclusion that Tinubu is persecuting El-Rufai unjustly because of 2927 and that how he can scale through the hurdles he has created for himself on this remains unknown,” he said.
In the meantime, the El-Rufai Support Group (ESG) is insisting on its call to make the name of the unambitious ADC frontliner appear on the ballot paper during the February 2027 presidential election.
“The love is real. The loyalty is unstoppable.
“In a powerful display of unity and commitment, the El-Rufai Support Group (ESG) has raised N45,750,000 in just four hours for the purchase of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the ADC 2027 Presidential Primaries.
“This is not ordinary crowdfunding; this is the people’s project. This is the voice of millions of loyal sons and daughters of the movement saying with one heart: “Mallam, we are with you.”
“We are deeply humbled and overwhelmed by this massive outpouring of support in such a short time. It shows that the fire Mallam lit in our hearts cannot be quenched; not even by detention.
“Thank you to every single person who has contributed. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
“The Movement is Rising. History is being written by the people,” said Dr. Uche Diala.
