…….Says with no caucus, NEC meetings in two years, ruling party now one man party
…….You want to unseat govt you helped to install, FG attacks former gov
BY OZOEMENA OSINACHI
Out of favour former governor of KADUNA state may have confirmed his subtle exit from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following his remarks on Tuesday that he no longer recognizes the party
El rufai, who ruled KADUNA state from 2025 to 2023, on the platform of the APC, similarly played major role in the 2022 presidential primary election of the party that led to the emergence of President Bola Tinubu as it’s candidate, as well as his victory in the 2023
But the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was said to have lost favour in the party and government he fought hard to install, when he was surprisingly dropped as a minister designate, following his rejection by the Senate
With the Tinubu administration head into it’s second year, the former governor has not been compensated as he was yet to get any recognition or appointment, even as he has been put hef against his state governor Uba Sani, who initiated a panel to probe his eight years administration in Kaduna state
El rufai is also alleged to be pushing of an alliance of political parties and stakeholders to gorge a formidable team ahead of the 2027 general election, following his recent reported meeting with the leadership of opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Nasir El-Rufai, blasted the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, accusing the party of straying from its founding ideals and fostering poor leadership.
The ex-governor, who addressed a gathering at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, where labelled the state of governance and opposition in the country as a national emergency, took to his X handle on Tuesday, to express concern over the absence of internal democracy and active party structures within the APC.
He wrote; “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.”
The former minister condemned the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, blaming the situation on unqualified delegates.
“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 added.
He therefore charged political parties to raise standards for candidates and delegates, stressing that the constitution’s minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate should not be enough for nominations, even as he regretted that the APC’s founding goals of combating corruption, rebuilding the economy, and enhancing security have been abandoned.
While citing a poll that showed 75 percent of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, El-Rufai warned of a potential crisis that could face the nation’s democratic process if politician and political parties fail to address such fears
But the federal government swiftly reacted to El rufai’s attack on the ruling party, describing him as a bad loser
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communications and Media, Daniel Bwala, accused him of plotting to unseat the government he suffered to install, simple because he is not in the forefront of its cabinet
The presidential adviser queried the former governor’s stance, asking if he would have held the same position had he remained in the government.
“My Senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples.
“It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam,” Bwala wrote.