APC has abandoned its principles – El-Rufai

…Warns of threats to democracy in the country

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has voiced concerns about the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its ability to address Nigeria’s challenges, accusing the party of abandoning its founding principles.

El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, criticised the party’s governance style, describing it as a “national emergency.”

He also alleged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is actively working to weaken opposition parties, threatening the country’s democratic system.

Speaking at a conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Monday, El-Rufai lamented the state of the APC, stating that no party organs had met in the last two years.

The event was organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), and the National Peace Committee (NPC).

El-Rufai recalled that the APC was formed to combat corruption, revamp the economy, and restore security but lamented that these objectives have been abandoned.

“I no longer recognise 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 added.

“So, the distance between me and APC is widening, but I remain where I am because these problems remain the living problems of Nigerians, and they have to be addressed, and the only way to address them is through the instrumentality of the political parties,” he added.

On opposition parties, El-Rufai warned against the targeted destruction of political rivals, citing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party as examples.

“There are internal mercenaries in the PDP that have been hired, paid, or otherwise motivated to destroy the party,” he claimed.

He also referenced a conversation with Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who admitted to being unaware of developments within his party.

El-Rufai warned of the dangers facing Nigeria’s democracy, citing a poll that indicated 75% of registered voters might abstain from voting in the 2027 elections.

Calling for unity among opposition parties, El-Rufai urged stakeholders to set aside differences and form a broad coalition to safeguard democracy.

“We have to put aside our differences and create a broad platform that will do the driving of the military again because we are there almost again,” he said.