El-Rufai Criticizes APC, Calls for Internal Democracy and Better Leadership
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has sharply criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of deviating from its founding principles and contributing to poor leadership in the country.
Addressing a national conference in Abuja focused on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
El-Rufai, sharing his remarks on his X handle on Tuesday, expressed grave concerns about the absence of internal democracy and active party structures 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 stated.
He also criticized the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, attributing the issue to 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,” El-Rufai added.
The former governor emphasized the need for political parties to raise the bar for both candidates and delegates. He argued that the constitution’s minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate should not suffice for nominations to run for office.
El-Rufai lamented that the APC’s original goals—fighting corruption, rebuilding the economy, and improving security—have been abandoned. He referenced a recent poll that showed 75 percent of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, warning of a potential political crisis.
In response to El-Rufai’s remarks, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communications and Media, Daniel Bwala, questioned the former governor’s position. He asked if El-Rufai would have expressed the same views had he remained in government or cabinet. “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.
