“I No Longer Recognize APC” – El-Rufai Criticizes Ruling Party 

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai expresses dissatisfaction with the APC, stating he no longer recognizes the ruling party. Find out more about his strong remarks.

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of deviating from its original principles and promoting ineffective leadership.

During a national conference in Abuja focused on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, the former governor described the current state of governance and opposition in the country as a national emergency.

El-Rufai, in a post on his X account on Tuesday, voiced his worries about the lack of internal democracy and active party structures in the APC.

“I can’t recognize the APC anymore. It’s been two years since any party organ has met—no caucus, no NEC, nothing at all. It’s unclear if it’s even a one-man show; it seems more like a zero-man show,” he remarked.

He criticized the leadership quality coming from political parties, attributing it to underqualified delegates.

“You can’t afford to have uneducated, partially educated, and deceitful individuals as your leaders. This is why we face the poor leadership that exists today,” he added.

The former governor urged political parties to increase their standards for candidates and delegates, emphasizing that the constitutional minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate should not suffice for nominations.

He expressed disappointment that the APC’s original objectives of tackling corruption, revitalizing the economy, and improving security have been neglected.

El-Rufai warned of a potential crisis, referencing a poll indicating that 75 percent of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections.

In response to El-Rufai’s post, Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Public Communications and Media for President Bola Tinubu, questioned the former governor’s position. He asked whether El-Rufai would have maintained the same viewpoint if he were still part of the government or cabinet.

“My elder brother, if you were part of the government and cabinet, would your stance have remained the same? History is full of such examples. You helped form this government that you’re now trying to overthrow. Come on, Mallam,” Bwala wrote.