Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, has criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for abandoning its founding principles and failing to uphold internal democracy.
He warned that if the party does not undergo necessary reforms, he may be left with no choice but to seek an alternative political platform.
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, El-Rufai lamented that the APC has failed to convene National Executive Council (NEC), National Caucus and Board of Trustees (BOT) meetings over the past two years, leaving party members in the dark regarding its strategic direction.
“The APC Has Left Me”
The former minister and founding member of the APC expressed deep concerns over the party’s failure to align government policies with its progressive ideology, noting that internal discussions and policy debates—once integral to the party’s framework—have been abandoned.
“A political party functions through internal democracy. In two years, the party has not met. No one understands what is going on. There’s no conversation about aligning government policies with the party’s progressive values. The party has forgotten the principles agreed upon by its founding fathers,” El-Rufai stated.
When asked if he was considering leaving the APC, he responded, “For now, I am not leaving the APC, but the party has left me. We founded the party based on certain values, and I feel stranded. To be precise, the party has abandoned those values.”
While ruling out any possibility of joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), El-Rufai suggested that if APC does not realign with its core principles, he would explore alternative platforms.
“I don’t know where I will end up if the APC doesn’t come back to where we started. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that PDP is not a party that I will go to, ever. I have thought about that. I’ve decided that long ago, and nothing has changed. In fact, if anything, PDP has gotten worse—rule out PDP.”
Boycotts APC Stakeholders’ Meeting
El-Rufai further revealed that he had opted to boycott the APC stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, arguing that the meeting was not properly convened.
According to him, the party’s constitution mandates a 14 to 21-day notice before such meetings, yet this requirement was disregarded, reflecting the continued sidelining of due process in party affairs.
Political Future and Fallout with Tinubu
El-Rufai also addressed speculations surrounding his strained relationship with President Bola Tinubu, stating that he had declined multiple requests from the president to serve in his government.
He dismissed allegations that his ministerial nomination was dropped due to a security report against him, maintaining that it was Tinubu himself who decided to exclude him from the cabinet.
“Don’t believe the rumour that the National Assembly rejected me; it was the president who revised the list. I believe he changed his mind. I served as a governor for eight years and was a minister 20 years ago. What security issue could there possibly be? It’s a position I didn’t even want in the first place. Has anyone released a security report to back this claim?”
He added that Tinubu initially wanted him to handle Nigeria’s energy sector but later reversed the decision for undisclosed reasons.
Accuses NSA Ribadu of Political Witch-Hunt
The former governor also accused National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of orchestrating a political witch-hunt against him, allegedly to eliminate northern political figures who could challenge his reported 2031 presidential ambition.
“Ribadu wants to be president in 2031. That’s why he wants to eliminate every northerner he thinks might stand in his way,” El-Rufai claimed.
He further alleged that Ribadu, in collaboration with Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was fabricating corruption allegations against him to weaken his political influence.
El-Rufai is currently facing investigations over the alleged mismanagement of N423 billion during his tenure as governor, an inquiry he has dismissed as a politically motivated charade.
“They were my friends for many years, but they are no longer my friends after backstabbing me,” he remarked.
APC Stakeholders Dismiss El-Rufai’s Criticism
Meanwhile, some APC stakeholders have dismissed El-Rufai’s grievances as self-serving, arguing that his criticisms are driven by personal political interests rather than genuine concerns for the party’s future.
Former APC National Secretary, Waziri Bulama, described the notion of northern political mobilisation against President Tinubu as “outdated”, insisting that the party remains united and well-positioned for 2027.
“The idea of mobilising along religious, regional, or identity lines no longer holds weight in Nigerian politics. The APC remains united and without significant internal crises. If the party sustains its current cohesion, President Tinubu stands a strong chance of securing the party’s ticket and winning the 2027 election.”
He added that the opposition remains weak and fragmented, making it unlikely for any credible challenge to emerge against Tinubu.
El-Rufai’s Political Future Uncertain
With growing dissatisfaction within the ruling party and his increasing political isolation, analysts speculate that El-Rufai could emerge as a central figure in a potential realignment of Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of 2027.
For now, his political future remains uncertain, as he continues to challenge the APC’s internal structure while keeping his options open for future alignments.
