Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has accused the ruling All Progressive Congress party of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership in the country.
Nasir El-Rufai Spoke at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria. He described the current state of governance and opposition as a “national emergency.”
El-Rufai lamented the erosion of internal democracy and party structures within the APC, revealing that key organs of the party had not convened in two years. “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 said.
The former governor criticized the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, attributing the problem to unqualified delegates and the low standards set for candidates.
“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 stated, calling for higher standards for party delegates and candidates beyond the constitutional requirement of a secondary school certificate.
El-Rufai Reflected on the APC’s origins. He said the party was formed to tackle corruption, rebuild the economy, and enhance security. However, he expressed disappointment, saying those goals have been sidelined. “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.
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El-Rufai also directed criticism at opposition parties, alleging deliberate sabotage from within. He claimed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party are grappling with internal conflicts. “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,’” El-Rufai alleged.
He called for opposition parties to set aside their differences and unite against what he described as a threat to democracy. “This is a national emergency, and we must act before history repeats itself,” he urged.
The former governor warned of likely Voter Apathy.
He Cited a poll showing that 75% of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai warned of an impending crisis. He linked this trend to widespread disillusionment with the political system and poor governance.
“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.
