The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of deviating from its founding principles and promoting poor leadership. Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, El-Rufai expressed dismay over the lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the APC.
“I no longer recognize 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.
The former governor criticized the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, attributing the issue to unqualified delegates and inadequate standards for leadership 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 remarked.
El-Rufai called for a review of the qualifications required for political candidates and delegates, stressing that the constitutional minimum of a secondary school certificate is insufficient. He lamented that the APC has abandoned its founding objectives of tackling corruption, reviving the economy, and improving security.
The ex-governor also highlighted the risks of voter apathy, referencing a recent poll that revealed 75 percent of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections. He warned that this could lead to a significant democratic crisis.
In response to El-Rufai’s comments, Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communications and Media, questioned the former governor’s stance. Bwala implied that El-Rufai’s critique might have been different if he were still part of 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.
El-Rufai’s remarks have sparked widespread discussion on the need for reforms within political parties and the broader governance system in Nigeria.
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