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By Kelechi Ogbu
Former Governor of Kaduna State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El Rufai, has criticised the state of affairs in the ruling All progressives Congress (APC).
El-Rufai said he was one of the founding members of the party, but the party leadership is no longer carrying them along. He said the party no longer hold crucial stakeholders meetings, adding that it is now akin to a “one-man show.”
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe stated this during a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja.
Speaking during a panel session, El-Rufai observed that there is lack of internal democracy within the ruling party, adding that it has deviated from its founding principles
“I’m the founding member of the APC, if you go to INEC, ask for the form that got APC registered, I’m one of the 34 people that signed for it. But frankly speaking, I longer recognise the party,” El-Rufai stated. “No caucus, no NEC. I don’t even know if it is one man show, it’s zero man show.”
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According to him, the party ‘is driving at a very high speed away from where I am. We said we are progressive but we are not progressive anymore.”
The immediate past Kaduna governor asserted that the party has not achieved its objectives of fighting corruption, revamping the economy and restoring security in Nigeria.
He noted that APC was established as an ideology driven party and was supposed to be a party funded by members “who will add value to it and not individuals who would pocket the party.”
He warned that APC is taking similar steps that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) took which has almost destroyed the party.
Speaking further on the conduct of political parties, El-Rufai also noted that they no longer draft manifesto which guides guide their national and societal programmes, rather, it is now all about individual interest.
“And still we wanted a progressive party that will fight corruption, revamp the economy and restore security to Nigerians. That was our objective. We went all the way to recruit members that will add value to the party.
“When we started APC, we hoped that it would be a party financed by members. We registered 15 million members. We had dreams of ideologically-driven progressive political party.
“If you look at the circle, it is a similar thing. One man show. No collegiate leadership, no democratic leadership, no internal democracy, and the party always gets pocketed by those elected on the platform of the party.
“No body talks about societal project, National project, it is about you and I. Political parties no longer draft Manifesto.
“The last one I remember was the one we drafted in 2007 for the PDP and the one we did at the formation of APC in 2015, a very detailed one. But since then, nothing more,” he said.
Though he admitted that loyalty to party is very strong and that there’s nothing wrong with members doing so, he opposed the idea of some members wanting to win by hook or crook and causing chaos in a party the polity generally.
El-Rufai expressed worry that with the way opposition parties are currently operating, they are being targeted for destruction.
He urged opposition parties to form a strong coalition that will challenge the government in power and hold them accountable.
