Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and other opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He accused the APC of abandoning its founding principles and failing to address the key issues that led to its creation.
Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on Monday, El-Rufai described the current state of governance and opposition in Nigeria as a “national emergency.”
He expressed disappointment that the APC, which was originally founded to tackle corruption, rebuild the economy, and improve security, has strayed from these objectives. “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,” he said.
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El-Rufai also criticised the quality of leadership emerging from Nigerian political parties, attributing it to the election of unqualified delegates. “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,” he added. He urged political parties to raise their standards for candidates and delegates, suggesting that the constitution’s minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate should not be sufficient for party nominations.
In his call for unity, El-Rufai warned that opposition parties must come together to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy. He claimed there are forces working to undermine the PDP, describing them as “internal mercenaries” out to destabilise the party. He also referred to the Labour Party’s struggles, citing a conversation with Peter Obi, who reportedly expressed concern about the party’s internal challenges. “Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with,’” El-Rufai revealed.
El-Rufai’s comments come amid growing concerns about voter apathy ahead of the 2027 elections. He referenced a poll suggesting that 75% of registered voters might abstain from voting, warning that this could lead to a dangerous crisis. “This is dangerous. For those of us who lived half our lives under military rule, we know what it is. We don’t want military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babbar riga and suits,” he said.
