APC hits back at El-Rufai, accuses him of bitter politics
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing his comments as the bitter outbursts of a failed politician.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Monday, the APC accused El-Rufai of being in a “political tailspin” since he was denied a ministerial appointment.
Speaking at a meeting in Sokoto on August 2, El-Rufai had labelled Tinubu’s government as incompetent, clannish, and unworthy of a second term. Reacting, the APC dismissed his comments as “mischievous and hollow,” accusing him and his allies in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of being desperate and confused politicians driven by oversized egos and personal ambition.
The party maintained that El-Rufai and his allies had offered no meaningful alternatives to the administration’s economic reforms. It noted that the removal of fuel subsidy and harmonisation of the foreign exchange market were policies supported by all major presidential candidates in the 2023 elections, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
Morka argued that following their electoral defeat, opposition figures have hypocritically criticised policies they once endorsed. He challenged them to propose how they would restore fuel subsidy or revert to the multiple exchange rate system—while explaining how such policies would be funded without collapsing the economy.
The APC also highlighted what it described as verifiable progress under President Tinubu’s leadership, listing improvements in oil production, agriculture, power generation, stock market performance, and infrastructure development. It also cited initiatives such as the NELFUND student loan scheme and advancements in military capability.
The party accused El-Rufai and Atiku of seeking to undermine the principle of power rotation by plotting to impose Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate during a southern presidency. It warned that such actions threatened national unity and mirrored the divisive role Atiku played in the PDP’s downfall during the 2023 election cycle.
Reaffirming support for President Tinubu, the APC declared that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda had set Nigeria on a path of steady growth and transformation.
