The Presidency has criticized former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for his recent remarks about the state of democracy in Nigeria and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
El-Rufai, speaking at a national conference in Abuja on Monday, accused the APC of failing to deliver on its promises to Nigerians.
“I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show,” El-Rufai said, lamenting what he described as a growing disconnect between the party and its founding principles.
He went on to claim that the APC had deviated from its mission, asserting that the hardships faced by Nigerians were the result of “illiterates and semi-illiterates occupying positions of authority.”
Reacting to El-Rufai’s comments, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused the former governor of hypocrisy and questioned his motives. Bwala suggested that El-Rufai’s critique might have been different if he held a position within the current administration.
“My senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position?” Bwala wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle. “It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat.”
The Presidency’s response underscores tensions within the ruling party as it grapples with criticism from key figures, including those who were instrumental in its rise to power.
El-Rufai’s remarks and the subsequent backlash have sparked discussions about the APC’s internal dynamics and its ability to address mounting public discontent over economic challenges and governance issues.
While neither side has offered a concrete resolution, the public exchange highlights growing divisions within the ruling party and raises questions about its capacity to fulfill its promises to Nigerians.
