Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has openly criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for diverging from its foundational principles and enabling ineffective leadership.
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Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
The former governor expressed disappointment with the APC’s internal dynamics, arguing that the party has failed to maintain active structures and democratic processes.
He pointed out that the current leadership is disconnected from the party’s original goals and attributed the poor quality of leadership to a lack of qualified delegates. El-Rufai stressed the need for higher standards in selecting candidates for key positions.
Reflecting on the APC’s founding principles, which were centered around combating corruption, revitalizing the economy, and improving security, El-Rufai lamented that these objectives have been abandoned, leaving the party’s original vision unfulfilled.
Beyond his criticism of the ruling party, El-Rufai also called for opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the APC and safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.
In a related development, the Omoluabi Progressives, led by Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, have formally severed ties with the APC.
The group’s decision to leave the party was prompted by what they described as the APC’s unfair treatment of its leaders, including ostracism, suspension, and expulsion without a fair hearing.
