PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
Former Kaduna Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai has publicly expressed his disappointment with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of abandoning its core values and internal democracy.
He warned that if the party fails to reform, he may be forced to leave.
Notably, El-Rufai ruled out joining the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), emphasizing his commitment to finding alternative solutions.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, criticized the party’s leadership for running the APC like a “zero-man show” and neglecting key national issues while speaking on Arise news channel in Abuja, monitored by Persecondnews.
He lamented the party’s departure from its original mission, which focused on fighting corruption, revamping the economy, and restoring security for Nigerians.
El-Rufai also raised concerns about the quality of leadership within the party, warning against “illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people” being entrusted with positions of authority.
“A political party functions through internal democracy. In two years, the party has not met. No one understands what is going on.
“There is no conversation about aligning government policies with the party’s progressive values. The party has forgotten the principles agreed upon by its founding fathers.
“I don’t know where I will end up if the APC doesn’t come back to where we started. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that PDP is not a party that I will go to, ever. I have thought about that.
“I have decided that long ago, and nothing has changed. In fact, if anything PDP has gotten worse, rule out PDP,” said a one-time PDP chieftain and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Pointing out that the APC has failed to convene National Executive Council (NEC), National Caucus, and Board of Trustees (BOT) meetings for more than a year, El-Rufai threatened not to attend the party’s stakeholders’ meeting scheduled Tuesday, February 25 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the mandatory 14 to 21 days’ notice of meeting was not served.
Responding to a question if he quiting APC immediately, El-Rufai said:“For now, I am not leaving the APC, but the party has left me. We founded the party based on certain values, and I feel stranded. To be precise, the party has abandoned those values.
“I am not ready to retire from politics. Sooner or later, I may have to find another platform to pursue the progressive ideals I believe in if they are no longer present in the APC.
“I hope the APC will address these issues and perhaps some of us may reconsider, but at the moment, many of us can no longer recognise the party we helped create.”
On why he did not make President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet at its inauguration, the former governor clarified that his nomination was not dropped due to a security report against him, but that Tinubu changed his mind about him.
He said President Tinubu initially wanted him to come on board as Minister of Power to tackle Nigeria’s energy challenges but later altered his decision.
“The president persuaded me for two months to serve in his government. Don’t believe the rumour that the National Assembly rejected me. it was the president who revised the list. I believe he changed his mind. I served as a governor for eight years and was a minister 20 years ago.
“What security issue could there possibly be? It’s a position I didn’t even want in the first place. Has anyone released a security report to back this claim?”
“I remain in politics. I am only 65 years old and not ready to retire. However, if the APC does not restore its democratic values, I will leave the party,” Persecondnews quotes El-Rufai as saying.
On Tinubu administration’s reforms, El-Rufai said: “I support most of the government’s policies because they are good, but the quality of the people implementing them is a problem. For instance, discouraging local farmers while importing food is counterproductive.”
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