Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed dissatisfaction with the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the ruling party of deviating from its founding principles and fostering poor leadership.
Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition as a "national emergency." Sharing his concerns on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the former governor lamented the absence of internal democracy within the APC.
“I no longer recognise 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.
El-Rufai criticized the quality of leadership in Nigeria’s political parties, attributing the issue to unqualified delegates and low standards for candidate selection. “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.
He further argued that the constitutional requirement of a secondary school certificate for political nominations is insufficient and called for higher standards for candidates and delegates.
Reflecting on the APC's original mission to fight corruption, rebuild the economy, and improve security, El-Rufai claimed these objectives had been abandoned. He also referenced a poll suggesting that 75 percent of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, warning of a looming political crisis.
In response, Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communications and Media, questioned El-Rufai’s stance. “My senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? It is a government you participated in its formation that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam,” Bwala wrote.
El-Rufai’s remarks have sparked a debate on the state of internal democracy and governance within Nigeria’s ruling party.
