The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and their supporters in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have come under fire from the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their purported efforts to undermine the presidential rotational principle, which is intended to foster national unity and cohesion.
In response to El-Rufai’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as inept, clannish, and unworthy of a second term, the APC stated during a meeting in Sokoto on Saturday, August 2, 2025, that El-Rufai and Atiku pose an immediate and obvious threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace, and advancement.
In a statement, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka stated: “With the imposition of Atiku as ADC’s presidential candidate in the midst of a Southern presidency rotation, it is now evident to all Nigerians that El-Rufai and his associates in ADC are on a mission to undermine the presidential rotational principle intended to foster national unity and cohesion in the country.”
“Atiku’s self-centered and stubborn disregard for the rotation concept during the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2023 presidential primary election was the direct cause of the PDP’s virtual dissolution.
Both Atiku and El-Rufai wish to do to Nigeria what Atiku did to the PDP. There is an obvious and immediate threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace, and advancement from El-Rufai, Atiku, and the hijacked ADC.
The APC criticized El-Rufai, saying that he has fallen into a political quagmire since his unsuccessful attempt to become a minister and that a comprehensive investigation is necessary to understand how he went from being a powerful figure to the political clown he is today.
The party further stated that his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration at a meeting in Sokoto on Saturday, August 2, 2025, as being inept, clannish, and unworthy of a second term, is just another example of a waspish politician’s outburst.
“El-Rufai and his associates in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are the most bewildered, ignorant, clumsy, and pathetic opposition politicians our nation has ever seen.”
They just bring their inflated ego, irrational entitlement attitude, obscene desperation, and predatory presidential aspirations to the political table.
El-Rufai and his associates have not—and, to be honest, are unable to—present policy recommendations that have the potential to be more successful than those that the Tinubu administration is currently implementing, with clear signs of success, aside from ludicrous headline attacks against the current administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Since the country’s economic problems are urgent and severe, all three of the main candidates for president in 2023 ran on platforms of eliminating fuel subsidies and harmonizing several foreign exchange regimes.
President Tinubu fulfilled his pledge to promptly execute policy reforms after winning the election and taking office.
“Atiku and Obi appear to have retracted their positions on policy reform after their humiliating electoral defeat, blatantly accusing President Tinubu and the APC of being hypocritical for carrying out reforms they also pledged to Nigerians.”
“Why haven’t they presented policy proposals to restore fuel subsidies as they were and return the country to the ruinous era of fixing naira’s value and operating multiple foreign exchange regimes that fed the greedy and insatiable appetite of people like El-Rufai, Atiku, Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi for decades?” the party added, implying that if El-Rufai and his associates dislike the administration’s policy reforms as much as they claim, then why have they not done.
And in the process, explain to Nigerians how they would pay for the enormous deficit that would ensue and bring the country’s economy to a catastrophic collapse.
The assertions made by El-Rufai are both naughty and unfounded. El-Rufai’s claim of “poor governance and failed leadership” is unfounded given our economy’s steady recovery and other evidence of verifiable progress in every sector, such as the ongoing revolution in agriculture, the high-performing stock exchange market, improved power generation and transmission, increased oil production at nearly 1.8 million barrels per day, consistent trade surpluses, our military’s strategic retooling with 49 advanced aircraft, our unprecedented NELFUND for students, rapidly declining inflation, rising consumer confidence, and more.
According to the APC, El-Rufai’s accusation of clannishness against the government cannot be justified by his rejection as a minister.
That kind of illogical assertion can only be made by someone who arrogantly confuses the interests of a whole ethnic group with his own self-interest.
President Tinubu is undoubtedly one of the most patriotic and detribalized Nigerians in existence. As El-Rufai would have Nigerians think, no tribe, ethnic group, or religious faith has been marginalized.
“El-Rufai is the epitome of poor governance and bad leadership,” the party said, referring to the former governor who weaponized demolitions against innocent citizens, sponsored sectarian violence, and left a sordid legacy of obnoxious marginalization of ethnic and religious minorities in Southern Kaduna. The Debt Management Office (DMO) estimates that El-Rufai hung a debt profile of N284 billion on taxpayers.
The APC praised President Tinubu’s government, stating, “Under President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria is experiencing a period of visionary and transformative leadership.”
Through the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, our country has been radically repositioned for sustained development and advancement.
In 2027, we are optimistic that Nigerians will continue to support our great party and extend President Tinubu’s tenure, building on what appears to be the most remarkable first-term accomplishment of any president in our country’s history.
