Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed disappointment with the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of abandoning its founding values.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, El-Rufai revealed that while he remains loyal to the APC, the party no longer reflects the principles upon which it was built.
“I didn’t say I have no intentions of leaving the APC; I said that APC is my party—I founded it,” El-Rufai clarified. “But the APC has left me; I didn’t leave the APC. We founded this party based on certain values, but today, the party has moved away from them. I feel stranded.”
The former governor criticized the lack of internal democracy within the party, highlighting that key decision-making bodies such as the National Caucus and the National Executive Committee (NEC) have failed to meet for over two years.
“When the organs of the party meet, they provide feedback to the government on how it aligns its policies with the party’s manifesto. The APC constitution mandates that the NEC meets at least once every quarter, but for two years, no meeting has taken place,” El-Rufai lamented.
He disclosed that he had sought answers from former APC national chairmen, including Chief Bisi Akande, Adams Oshiomhole, John Odigie-Oyegun, and Abdullahi Adamu, but none could explain the party’s current direction.
“I have visited all of them—Baba Akande, Oshiomhole, Oyegun, and just yesterday, I went to Keffi to see Abdullahi Adamu. I asked them the same question: ‘What is happening to our party?’ But nobody has answers because the party has not met for two years. There have been no conversations,” he said.
Despite his frustrations, El-Rufai made it clear that he has no plans to retire from politics.
“I will remain in politics for life, but that doesn’t mean I will keep contesting elections. I believe I have a role to play in influencing what happens in our party so that we have better candidates and better governors,” he added.
However, he did not entirely dismiss the possibility of seeking another political platform if the APC fails to return to its foundational values.
“If I can’t find those progressive values in APC, sooner or later, I may have to find another platform to pursue them. But I still hope the party will correct its course,” El-Rufai stated.
As the APC prepares for its upcoming National Caucus and NEC meeting, El-Rufai expressed hope that the party’s leadership would reflect on why it has deviated from its core principles.