Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has asserted that his stance on the All Progressives Congress (APC) would remain unchanged even if he were part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai criticized the APC for deviating from its founding principles.
“As a founding member of the APC, I can no longer recognize the party. No party organ has convened in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. It seems to be a zero-man show,” he stated. El-Rufai expressed disappointment that the party has lost sight of its original goals, which included fighting corruption, reviving the economy, and restoring security.
In response to El-Rufai’s comments, Daniel Bwala, special adviser on policy communication to President Tinubu, questioned whether El-Rufai would have voiced his criticisms if he were part of the cabinet. “If you were in government, would you have expressed the same views?” Bwala asked.
El-Rufai replied on social media, clarifying that he had made it clear to Tinubu 22 years ago that he was not interested in any position in the current government. He criticized those who have recently joined Tinubu’s government for their reactions to his statements, suggesting they demonstrate a lack of moral integrity.
“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I would still address the issues within the party I helped found—first privately and then publicly if no actions were taken,” he asserted.
El-Rufai’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about the state of the APC and its future direction.
