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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted strongly to claims made by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, following his exit from the party.
In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai claimed that the APC had strayed from its founding ideals, accusing it of prioritizing personal interests over public service. The APC, however, has firmly dismissed these allegations, labeling them as “self-interested” and politically motivated.
El-Rufai’s departure from the APC, he explained, was due to his belief that the party had lost its progressive edge. Speaking candidly in a video that quickly went viral, he criticized the political climate, stating, “We have politics of private interest. We have no politics of public interest. Politicians will proudly tell you that politics is about interest. If they don’t get what they want, they are ready to collapse the system.”
Despite his vocal critiques, the APC has now called El-Rufai’s remarks a manifestation of his “soured ego” and a personal vendetta against the party and its leadership.
The APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a statement issued on Monday, stated that El-Rufai’s grievances were rooted in personal disappointment, particularly his failed bid for a ministerial position under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“El-Rufai appears traumatized by his failure to land a ministerial position. Nursing a bruised ego, he now lashes out at the platform on which he rode to political prominence,” Morka wrote.
The statement continued to challenge El-Rufai’s assertions about the party’s ideological shift, accusing him of fabricating a narrative of ideological drift.
Morka argued that El-Rufai’s claims about the APC losing its original vision were “nothing more than a smokescreen.” He also questioned how El-Rufai’s new political home, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), could be seen as a refuge for someone supposedly concerned with ideological purity. “How is the SDP an ideological safe haven?” Morka asked rhetorically.
The APC also expressed skepticism over El-Rufai’s call for members of the opposition to join him under the SDP banner, labeling it an invitation to embrace selfishness and self-interest. The party emphasized that Nigerians are increasingly discerning and can see through El-Rufai’s personal motives.
“Nigerians are far more savvy than El-Rufai thinks, and they know that he is driven by raw self-interest rather than a genuine concern for the country,” the statement read.
In stark contrast to El-Rufai’s claims of failure, the APC reiterated its belief that President Tinubu’s administration has made significant progress on several fronts. According to the statement, the president’s economic policies have already begun to show results, with Nigeria witnessing substantial growth in foreign reserves, increased non-oil revenues, and an improved GDP growth rate. “Nigeria is better off today than when President Tinubu took office,” Morka asserted.
Morka further urged El-Rufai to stop sulking and regain his composure, suggesting that he should “salvage some respectability.”
“The APC remains confident in its direction and continues to attract new members who are committed to the party’s vision of sustainable growth and prosperity for Nigeria”, Morka concluded.
