Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the ruling party of abandoning its founding principles and promoting poor leadership.
Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria on Monday in Abuja, El-Rufai described the current state of governance and opposition as a “national emergency.”
Taking to his X handle on Tuesday, El-Rufai lamented the lack of internal democracy within the APC.
“I no longer recognize 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 stated.
The former governor also criticised the low quality of leadership emanating from political parties, blaming it on unqualified delegates. “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,” he said.
He called for higher standards for candidates and delegates, arguing that the constitutional minimum of a secondary school certificate is inadequate for party nominations.
Reflecting on the APC’s foundation, El-Rufai said the party was created to fight corruption, rebuild the economy, and improve security, but these objectives have been neglected.
“The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved, but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening,” he declared.
El-Rufai also turned his attention to opposition parties, urging them to unite in order to safeguard democracy.
“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 revealed.
He alleged a deliberate plan to weaken opposition parties and cited a poll indicating that 75% of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, warning of an impending crisis. “This is dangerous. For those of us who lived half our lives under military rule, we know what it is. We don’t want a military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babbar riga and suits,” he cautioned.
Calling for a united front among opposition parties, El-Rufai said, “This is a national emergency, and we must act before history repeats itself.”
