The All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a strong-worded response to recent statements made by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in which he castigated the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described El-Rufai’s remarks as nothing more than the bitter outbursts of a disgruntled politician who has lost relevance on the national stage.
In a statement released by Morka, the APC alleged that El-Rufai’s aggressive posturing began shortly after he failed to secure a ministerial appointment under the current administration. Since then, according to the party, El-Rufai has taken a nosedive from once being a political heavyweight to what they called “a political clown” whose behaviour now deserves “forensic study.”
At a recent gathering in Sokoto on August 2, 2025, El-Rufai reportedly described the Tinubu-led government as “clannish,” “incompetent,” and “unworthy of re-election.” The APC did not take this lightly, insisting that such comments were not only baseless but also hypocritical, especially coming from someone whose own governance track record was riddled with failure, ethnic marginalisation, and sectarian conflict.
Morka highlighted that El-Rufai and his new allies in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) bring nothing substantial to the political conversation.
He described them as “confused, rudderless, and pitiful opposition figures,” obsessed with personal ambition and self-gratification rather than national progress. The party accused them of contributing nothing but inflated egos, a warped sense of entitlement, and a destructive desperation for power.
The statement also noted that, unlike El-Rufai’s group, the Tinubu administration has implemented transformative policies aimed at stabilising and growing the economy.
It recalled that all three major candidates in the 2023 general election—including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi—had agreed on the need to eliminate fuel subsidies and unify the multiple foreign exchange rates. President Tinubu, upon assuming office, acted swiftly to execute these reforms in line with his campaign promises.
According to the APC, El-Rufai and his colleagues are now hypocritically opposing policies they had earlier endorsed simply because they lost at the polls.
The party queried why they have not presented any viable policy alternatives if they genuinely oppose the government’s economic direction. It challenged them to explain how they would reinstate fuel subsidies or reverse forex reforms without plunging the nation into unsustainable deficits and economic ruin.
Furthermore, Morka questioned the sincerity of El-Rufai’s accusations of tribalism, labelling them as ridiculous and self-serving. He asserted that President Tinubu remains one of Nigeria’s most detribalized leaders, with appointments and policies reflecting national inclusivity rather than regional bias.
In contrast, El-Rufai himself, during his time as Governor, was widely criticised for fostering ethnic and religious divisions, particularly in Southern Kaduna. The APC reminded Nigerians that under El-Rufai’s watch, communities suffered marginalisation, sectarian violence flourished, and demolition exercises were allegedly used as political weapons. Additionally, the Debt Management Office reportedly placed the state’s debt profile at a staggering N284 billion when he left office.
The APC also took a swipe at the political motives behind El-Rufai’s recent moves, alleging that he, along with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is attempting to hijack the ADC in order to disrupt the established principle of presidential rotation. This, according to Morka, is an effort to impose Atiku as a northern presidential candidate, despite the ongoing tenure of a southern presidency—an act the party considers dangerous to national unity and stability.
The statement reminded Nigerians that Atiku’s refusal to honour the rotation principle during the PDP primaries in 2023 significantly contributed to the party’s catastrophic performance in the elections. The APC warned that what Atiku did to the PDP, he and El-Rufai now seek to replicate on a national scale, thereby threatening Nigeria’s peace and democratic balance.
In highlighting its achievements, the APC stated that the Tinubu administration is steering the country towards economic recovery and institutional reform. It pointed to ongoing agricultural initiatives, increased oil production nearing 1.8 million barrels per day, consistent trade surpluses, improvement in power generation and transmission, as well as the unprecedented development of 420 roads and bridges across the country.
The administration, it said, is also overseeing enhanced military capacity with the deployment of 49 new aircraft, while providing educational support through the NELFUND student loan initiative. Inflation, it added, is on the decline, and consumer confidence is rising.
Given these strides, the APC dismissed El-Rufai’s claims of “poor governance” as entirely unfounded. It described him as “an inconsolable sulker” who remains bitter over political rejection.
The ruling party expressed confidence that Nigerians will continue to support President Tinubu and the APC. It asserted that Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” is setting a historic precedent in governance, and projected that his re-election bid in 2027 will be strongly endorsed by the Nigerian electorate based on concrete achievements and visionary leadership.