Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of sidelining those who worked hard for its success while favoring a select group he described as “Lagos boys.”
In an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai lamented that the APC has abandoned its founding principles and become a party where personal interests and financial gain take precedence over justice and merit.
“Everyone is working for themselves, looking for money. The government is commercialized—everything has a price tag. Those who toiled for the party have been ignored instead of being rewarded. If there’s any appointment, they give it to a Lagos boy,” he said.
El-Rufai, who played a key role in APC’s formation and governance, also revealed that he had sought the blessings of former President Muhammadu Buhari before leaving the party.
“I didn’t join APC because of Buhari. It was Pastor Tunde Bakare who brought me in. Out of courtesy, I informed him when I decided to leave. I also told Buhari, and he gave me his blessings. Now, I have publicly renounced my membership. They can hold on to the party and eat it like food—I’m done,” he declared.
Responding to claims that he left because he wasn’t offered a ministerial appointment, the former governor dismissed the speculation, saying he never lobbied for a position.
“I know people who even paid money to become ministers. The President personally begged me to serve in his government, not the other way around. He asked me to help fix the country’s power sector because Nigeria cannot progress without stable electricity. I considered it, but in the end, I walked away,” El-Rufai stated.
His comments have fueled fresh debate over internal divisions within the APC, with many questioning the direction of the party under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
