APC Accuses El-Rufai, Atiku of Plotting to End Power Rotation

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State; Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); 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.

At a meeting in Sokoto on Saturday, August 2, 2025, the APC responded to El-Rufai’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as inept, clannish, and unworthy of a second term by stating that Atiku and El-Rufai pose a direct and present threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace, and advancement.

“It is now evident to all Nigerians that El-Rufai and his associates in ADC are on a mission to upend the presidential rotational principle designed to promote national unity and cohesion in the country by imposing Atiku as the ADC presidential candidate in the middle of a Southern presidency rotation,” the APC said in a statement released by Felix Morka, its national publicity secretary.

“The PDP’s virtual annihilation was a direct outcome of Atiku’s self-centered and stubborn disregard for the rotation concept during the 2023 presidential primary contest.

Like Atiku did to the PDP, El-Rufai and Atiku wish to do the same to Nigeria. The unity, peace, and advancement of Nigeria are clearly and immediately threatened by El-Rufai, Atiku, and the hijacked ADC.

El-Rufai has been in a political tailspin since his unsuccessful attempt to become a minister, according to the APC, which also argued that a thorough investigation is necessary to understand how quickly he fell from power to become the political clown he is today.

At a meeting in Sokoto on Saturday, August 2, 2025, he attacked President Bola Tinubu’s administration as inept, clannish, and undeserving of a second term. The party noted that this is just another outburst from a waspish politician.

The most bewildered, ignorant, clumsy, and pathetic opposition politicians our nation has ever seen are El-Rufai and his associates in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Their massive ego, mad entitlement mindset, obscene desperation, and predatory presidential dreams are the only things they offer to the political table.

Beyond flimsy headline attacks against the current administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai and his associates have failed to present—and, to be honest, are unable to present—policy recommendations that could be more successful than those currently being carried out by the Tinubu administration.

Given the gravity and urgency of the nation’s economic problems, all three of the main candidates for president in 2023 ran on platforms calling for the elimination of fuel subsidies and the unification of several foreign exchange regimes.

President Tinubu quickly carried out the policy changes he had promised after winning the election and taking office.

“It appears that Atiku and Obi renounced their policy reform stances after their humiliating electoral defeat in order to defend their shameless participation at the table of hypocrisy and their insults directed at President Tinubu and the APC for carrying out reform policies 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, “if El-Rufai and his allies detest the administration’s policy reforms as much as they claim.”

Additionally, to explain to Nigerians how they would pay for the enormous deficit that would ensue, which would cause the economy to collapse catastrophically.

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El-Rufai’s assertions 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, unprecedented infrastructure development—420 roads and bridges are under construction—strategic retooling of our military capabilities with 49 advanced aircraft, an unprecedented NELFUND for students, rapidly declining inflation and rising consumer confidence, and more.

El-Rufai’s accusation of clannishness against the government, according to the APC, cannot be justified by his rejection as a minister.

Only someone who arrogantly conflates his own self-interest with the interests of a whole ethnic nationality can make such a ludicrous assertion.

Without a doubt, one of the most patriotic and detribalized Nigerians living is President Tinubu. Contrary to what El-Rufai wants Nigerians to think, no tribe, ethnic group, or religious faith has been marginalized.

El-Rufai is the epitome of poor governance and incompetent leadership, the party said, “for a former governor who left a sordid legacy of obnoxious marginalization of ethnic and religious minorities in Southern Kaduna, who sponsored sectarian violence and weaponized demolitions against innocent citizens, and who hung a debt profile of N284 billion on tax payers, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO)”.

“Nigeria is witnessing an era of visionary and transformational leadership under President Bola Tinubu,” the APC remarked in praising the Tinubu administration.

Our country has been radically repositioned for consistent growth and advancement thanks to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We have no doubt that Nigerians will continue to support our wonderful party and extend President Tinubu’s term in 2027, building on what appears to be the most remarkable first-term accomplishment of any president in our country’s history.”