Former Kaduna State governor and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir El-Rufai, has delivered a scathing critique of his party and the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Speaking at a conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Monday, El-Rufai expressed grave concerns about the APC’s ability to address the country’s pressing challenges, accusing the party of abandoning its founding principles and undermining Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
At the event organized by pro-democracy groups such as the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), El-Rufai lamented the state of APC’s internal democracy. He disclosed that the party’s key decision-making organs, such as the National Executive Council (NEC) and caucuses, have been dormant for over two years.
“I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ of the APC has met for the past two years. No caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it is a zero-man show,” he remarked, painting a grim picture of a party he once helped establish.
El-Rufai accused the APC of abandoning its founding goals of tackling corruption, improving the economy, and restoring security. “The problems are still there. However, I no longer believe that my party believes in confronting those problems,” he added.
Beyond internal party issues, El-Rufai accused the APC-led administration of waging a systematic assault on Nigeria’s opposition parties, describing this as a “national emergency.” He highlighted the deliberate targeting of opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), in what he described as a coordinated effort to weaken political pluralism in the country.
“The way and manner opposition political parties are being targeted for destruction and the style and quality of governance in this country today is a national emergency,” he declared.
El-Rufai cited troubling statistics, referencing a recent poll that revealed 75% of registered voters are disillusioned and unwilling to participate in the 2027 elections. He warned that this growing voter apathy poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic future.
“This is very dangerous, and I believe every voice must rise to fight for this democracy,” he urged.
The former governor further warned against any attempt to return Nigeria to authoritarianism, whether overtly through military rule or covertly through civilian leadership behaving like military dictators in civilian attire.
“For those of us in our 60s, we lived half our lives under military rule. We know what it is, and we don’t want military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babariga and suits. This is a national emergency,” he emphasized.
El-Rufai revealed that the internal divisions within the PDP were being exacerbated by “internal mercenaries” allegedly paid to destabilize the party. Similarly, he noted that the Labour Party faced its own challenges, citing a conversation with Peter Obi, who reportedly expressed bewilderment at the disarray in the party.
“There seems to be a coordinated effort to dismantle all opposition political parties,” El-Rufai claimed.
In his concluding remarks, El-Rufai called for a broad coalition of opposition groups to unite in defense of Nigeria’s democracy. He urged them to set aside their differences and form a unified platform to counter what he described as a growing authoritarian drift under the APC.
“We must come together, create a unified platform, and take action before the situation deteriorates further,” he said, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
El-Rufai’s revelations have sent shockwaves through political circles, raising serious questions about the state of governance and democracy in Nigeria. As the nation grapples with mounting economic and security challenges, his call for collective action may serve as a rallying cry for those determined to safeguard Nigeria’s fragile democratic experiment.
PIONEER NEWS 