Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has strongly criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the ruling party of lacking internal democracy and failing to uphold its founding principles.
Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai lamented the current state of governance and opposition, describing it as a “national emergency.”
APC Has Abandoned Its Core Principles
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, El-Rufai revealed that APC has not held any major party meetings in two years, including the National Executive Council (NEC) and caucus meetings.
“I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”
He further criticized the party for deviating from its original goals of fighting corruption, rebuilding the economy, and enhancing security, stating that these objectives have been abandoned.
Calls for Higher Leadership Standards
El-Rufai attributed Nigeria’s poor leadership to the low quality of delegates selecting candidates, arguing that the minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate is insufficient for leadership positions.
“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today.”
Opposition Parties Must Unite
El-Rufai urged opposition parties to form a broad coalition to challenge the APC, warning that democracy is under threat. He alleged that both the PDP and Labour Party are facing internal sabotage.
“There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party. The Labour Party is also facing similar issues. Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with.’”
He also cited a poll indicating that 75% of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, calling it a dangerous sign for Nigeria’s democracy.
“We don’t want military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babbar riga and suits.”
A Call to Action
El-Rufai concluded by urging opposition leaders to set aside their differences and form a united front to protect democracy in Nigeria.
With these strong remarks, many political observers are left wondering: Is El-Rufai preparing to lead an opposition movement, or is this a final break from APC?
