The All Progressives Congress (APC) has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent criticisms of the party, branding him a disgruntled politician whose bitterness stems from his failed ministerial bid.
In a strongly worded statement signed by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party dismissed El-Rufai’s claims that APC had strayed from its founding ideals. Instead, the party accused him of masking personal disappointment as ideological opposition, painting him as a man consumed by ego and self-interest.
“El-Rufai is not driven by any genuine concern for the country. His exit from APC and his attempt to rally opposition forces under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is nothing but an invitation to drink from a chalice poisoned by selfishness and delusions of grandeur,” the statement read.
The former governor, in a recent BBC Hausa interview, had lamented that APC had become a party where “everyone is now pursuing personal interests.”
However, APC countered by pointing out that El-Rufai himself had long been part of the system he now condemns. The party argued that his newfound criticism only surfaced after President Bola Tinubu declined to offer him a ministerial position.
“El-Rufai stands diminished today as the epitome of self-interest, blinded by ego and brimming with a vengeful desire to ‘collapse the system’ after failing to get what he wanted,” the statement added.
The ruling party further dismissed his claims that Tinubu’s administration had failed, describing them as baseless. It highlighted what it called the president’s “bold and transformative policies,” including economic reforms, foreign investment inflows, and improvements in Nigeria’s GDP growth.
READ ALSO: Presidency Mocks El-Rufai’s Defection to SDP, Calls It Inordinate Ambition
According to the APC, Nigeria is in a far better place than it was before Tinubu took office.
The party also questioned El-Rufai’s decision to pitch his tent with the SDP, asking how the party aligns with the progressive values he claims to champion.
“El-Rufai’s political move reeks of desperation rather than conviction. Nigerians see through his antics, and they know this is about personal interest, not national progress,” APC stated.
Urging El-Rufai to move on, the APC told the former governor to “stop sulking, get a grip, and salvage some respectability.”