Former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost its founding principles, accusing the party of prioritizing personal interests over governance.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai revealed that he consulted former President Muhammadu Buhari before resigning from the APC and joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai lamented the state of the ruling party, alleging that it had been taken over by individuals focused on financial gains rather than public service.
“The APC has derailed. The party is no longer abiding by its founding principles. Everyone is working for themselves, looking for money. The government is commercialized, and everything has a price tag. Justice has been sidelined, and those who worked for the party were ignored instead of being rewarded. Appointments are now given based on favoritism,” he said.
He further explained that after losing faith in the APC, he turned to Pastor Tunde Bakare, who initially introduced him to the party, before informing Buhari of his decision to leave.
“I did not join APC because of Buhari; it was Pastor Bakare who convinced me. Out of respect, I met with him before making my decision. I also informed Buhari and sought his blessings, which he gave me,” El-Rufai stated.
Addressing speculation that he left the APC to avoid being expelled, El-Rufai insisted that he was pushed out.
“It would have been easier if they had expelled me. The truth is, I didn’t leave APC—the party abandoned me. I was sidelined, excluded from all party activities, and never invited to key meetings,” he alleged.
He also dismissed claims that his exit was due to his failure to secure a ministerial appointment.
“People assume I left because I wasn’t appointed a minister, but did I even seek the position? I know those who paid money to be appointed. I only attended the screening because the President personally begged me,” he explained.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu wanted him to oversee power sector reforms, hoping to be remembered as the leader who resolved Nigeria’s electricity crisis.
“He told me he wanted to be the President who would finally fix Nigeria’s power problem and begged me to help him. I took my time to consider it, but in the end, I stepped away,” El-Rufai said.
With his departure from the APC, El-Rufai reiterated that he had no regrets, declaring that he had “moved on.”
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