- Amaechi accused Nigerian politicians of stealing and urged citizens to protest against widespread economic hardship and government failure.
- El-Rufai called for opposition unity, hinting at a north-south-south alliance to “rescue” Nigeria ahead of 2027 elections.
The recent actions of Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, and Rotimi Amaechi, ex-governor of Rivers and former minister of transportation, have stirred significant controversy about the future of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
El-rufai needs no introduction in Nigerian politics. He elicits strong resistance from many who vehemently oppose his audacity.
However, his staunch supporters, predominantly those labelled as ‘hardliners,’ are equally unwavering in their allegiance.
This profound divide is why he is often regarded as an intensely polarising personality.
With the political landscape of 2027 unfolding, ex Kaduna governor has become one of the most vocal critic of the APC.
This was the same man who, in 2013, signed a document approving the merger of opposition parties, leading to the creation of the APC, which went on to win the 2015 presidential election.
‘ALLY TURNED ADVERSARY’
El-rufai was among Tinubu’s most dedicated allies in the period leading up to the 2023 presidential race, offering unwavering support throughout the campaign process.
He even accused some officials in the then-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of “creating obstacles” for Tinubu’s ambitions.
The ex-governor went as far as legally challenging Buhari’s government over its contentious naira redesign policy, which was believed to have posed a significant threat to Tinubu’s electoral success.
Acknowledging his efforts during the campaign, Tinubu openly encouraged El-rufai to reconsider his plans for academic engagements abroad and instead take up a government role.
El-rufai was said to have been designated for the power ministerial position, where he was expected to implement solutions to Nigeria’s long-standing challenges in the electricity sector.
Despite undergoing senate screening, the red chamber withheld his confirmation due to petitions filed against him — the former governor was ultimately not confirmed for a ministerial position.
The upper legislative chamber had cited security concerns against the ex-governor’s nomination.
The development was interpreted by political analysts as a move to whittle down his influence in the presidency.
Beyond this, the Kaduna APC-led assembly had also launched “fraud” investigations against el-Rufai and taken legal action against close allies, including his former finance commissioner and Jimi Lawal.
‘EL-RUFAI’S RIFT WITH APC’
At a recent onstage public forum in Abuja—dubbed ‘Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria’—the former governor sat next to Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
El-rufai, a staunch adversary of Atiku in recent years, was discussing Nigeria’s democratic future with his rival and the need for opposition parties to unite against the APC in 2027.
In 2016, el-Rufai launched a scathing attack on Abubakar, accusing him of being an expert in spreading falsehood. He also said Abubakar was haunted by “demons of corruption”.
At the event, the ex-governor criticised the party for allegedly straying from its core values and promoting “ineffective” leadership.
The former minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) said the various organs in the party have not been holding meetings, adding that the leadership is running the APC like a “one-man show”.
“I am the founding member of the APC. But frankly, I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years — no caucus, no NEC, nothing. I don’t even know if it is a one-man show. It is a zero-man show,” he said.
“Though I am the founding the member, the party has left me behind. I’m still there where we were. We wanted to form a progressive party that will fight corruption, revamp the economy and restore security to Nigerians. That was the objective of forming our party.
“But where is the APC today? I don’t recognise it like I said. It has left me behind. I still believe that the purpose of political contestation in Nigeria still remains revamping the economy, restoring security and fighting corruption. The problems are still there.
“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today.
“The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening.”
El-rufai noted the need for opposition parties to unite and form a viable coalition to keep the ruling party in check.
“There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party. The Labour Party is also facing similar issues. Peter Obi himself told me: ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested for president’. There seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties,” he said.
El-rufai’s comment later struck a chord within the presidency—prompting Daniel Bwala, a presidential aide, to ask whether his stance on the APC would have been different if he were part of Tinubu’s cabinet—to which the former governor responded that he would still criticise the party even if he had been involved in the administration.
At the same event, Amaechi said Tinubu and other members of the political class would not cede power to the younger generation without a fight.
“The politician is there in Nigeria to steal, maim, and kill to remain in power. If you think Tinubu will give it to you, you are wasting your time,” the ex-minister said.
In response to their criticism, Sunday Dare, a presidential spokesperson, said the president’s “detractors” and “wannabes” should wait for the 2027 polls to test their popularity.
The ex-governor’s statements provoked strong reactions from the APC, which dismissed the gathering outright and denied allegations that the ruling party had a hand in the troubles plaguing opposition groups.
“The suggestion by opposition figures like Atiku, Peter Obi and, recently, aggrieved leaders like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that our great party may be complicit in the internal corrosion of opposition parties is pitiful,” the APC had said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Uba Sani, Kaduna governor —el-Rufai’s estranged political protégé—subtly took jabs at his predecessor while heaping praise on Tinubu as Nigeria’s best president. Despite this, Sani played down any suggestion of discord between himself and el-Rufai.
Unmoved by the political theatrics, el-Rufai fired back, openly accusing Sani of being a sycophant who aligned with Tinubu for personal gain.
As the 2027 elections approach, many are wondering how these actions will impact the party’s hold on power.
‘TINUBU NEVER WANTED ME IN HIS CABINET’
After about 2 years, the former Kaduna governor broke silence on his ministerial screening hurdle.
In an interview with Arise TV on February 24, el-Rufai said Nigerians should not believe the narrative that the national assembly rejected him as a ministerial nominee.
He said the president did not want him in his cabinet, adding that Tinubu begged him publicly to suspend his plans and take up the ministerial appointment.
The former governor questioned what security concerns could have prevented his confirmation, given that he had spent over two decades in public service.
He added that ministerial nominees who are “less qualified” were confirmed by the senate because the president made a call.
‘POSSIBLE COALITION?’
Lately, el-Rufai has been making visitations to political figures in the country, including those in the opposition parties.
In January, el-Rufai met with Hamza Al-Mustapha, ex-aide to late Sani Abacha; Shehu Gabam, national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PDP); and other politicians in the nation’s capital.
Segun Showunmi, a former spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar campaign organisation, said the meeting was to strategise ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former governor of Kaduna in March 2024 visited Abdul Ningi, the lawmaker representing Bauchi central district in the senate.
The ex-governor visited the senator at his residence in Abuja, the nation’s capital. The visit took place a few days after the senate suspended Ningi for three months over the claim that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.
On February 22, el-Rufai was led to the condolence visit by Atiku and said that the former vice-president deserves credit for spearheading economic reforms during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
He also said the north must forge an alliance with the south-south to “save” Nigeria.
“In the 60s, 70s and 80s, the traditional political partners of the north was the south-south. Let us not forget that. Let us go back to that. Let us save this country because it really requires saving. We need a rescue operation,” el-Rufai said.
‘OUR VALUES NO LONGER ALIGN’
On February 27, members of the ruling party converged on its national secretariat in Abuja for the APC’s first NEC meeting since August 2023.
However, el-Rufai — who has become an ardent critic of his party — was absent. Amaechi was also absent.
On March 10, el-Rufai laid to rest months of speculation regarding his immediate political plans.
The former governor resigned his membership of the APC and joined the SDP, adding that his former party left him with little choice.
“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC.
It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and that of the APC will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics,” the statement said.
El-Rufai asked his supporters “and other persons concerned about our country’s future” to join him in the SDP.
‘AMAECHI’S CALL FOR PROTESTS’
Amaechi was a presidential hopeful of the ruling party but he lost in the primary election which was held in June 2022.
The former minister trailed in second place after losing to Tinubu, who polled 1,271 votes to defeat him with 316 votes.
On October 10, 2024, Amaechi said he is disappointed in Nigerians for their seeming laid-back disposition to the economic hardship sweeping through the country.
The former governor of Rivers bemoaned the rising cost of living in Nigeria, including the hike in the price of fuel, and spiralling food inflation.
“I’m angry with the citizens. I have said it several times. You can see a group of people stealing your money, impoverishing you, you cannot buy fuel and anything,” he said.
“The people should be angry. There should be protests. Not even protests against anybody but against the politicians that ‘we won’t vote’.
“That is what people should be saying. The rate of hunger now… if people like us cannot afford diesel, you can imagine what is happening to those who do not have children like us.
“Somebody said what this government has achieved is that it has made Nigerians to be strong in the sense that Nigerians now trek.”
In a counter-response, Felix Morka, APC national spokesperson, said Amaechi is “a leading participant in the generational devastation of our country’s economy”.
‘THE ROAD TO 2027’
As the 2027 elections approach, the APC will need to navigate these challenges, and urgent action may be needed to address grievances and heal fractures within the party to ensure it presents a united front to voters.
The party’s ability to do so will depend on various factors, including the actions of el-Rufai and Amaechi, as well as the party’s overall strategy and messaging.
If the APC fails to address its internal issues, the party may face a significant challenge in the 2027 elections.
This could potentially lead to a shift in power, with the opposition PDP or other parties capitalising on the APC’s weaknesses.
Ultimately, the outcome of the 2027 elections will depend on various factors, which may include the actions of el-Rufai and Amaechi, as well as the overall performance of the APC and other parties.
One thing is certain, however: the road to 2027 will be filled with twists and turns, and only time will tell what the future holds for the ruling APC.
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