APC: El-Rufai and Atiku Pushing Agenda Against Rotational Presidency

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State; Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate for 2023; and their African Democratic Congress (ADC) supporters for allegedly attempting to undermine the presidential rotational principle designed to promote national unity and cohesion in the country.

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 incompetent, clannish, and undeserving of a second term by stating that El-Rufai and Atiku pose a clear and present threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace, and growth.

According to a statement issued by the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, “It is now clear to all Nigerians that El-Rufai and his cohorts 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 ADC’s presidential candidate in the middle of a Southern presidency rotation.”

“It was Atiku’s selfish and obstinate unwillingness to follow the rotation principle during the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election that directly resulted in the PDP’s virtual extinction.

El-Rufai and Atiku intend to do to Nigeria what Atiku did to the PDP. El-Rufai, Atiku, and the hijacked ADC pose a clear and present threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace, and growth.

The APC criticized El-Rufai, claiming that after his unsuccessful bid for a ministerial job, he has gone into a political tailspin, and that his rapid descent from commanding heights to the political clown he has become requires rigorous investigation.

The party further stated that his criticism on President Bola Tinubu’s administration as incompetent, clannish, and undeserving of a second term during a meeting in Sokoto on Saturday, August 2, 2025, is just another outburst by a waspish politician.

“El-Rufai and his African Democratic Congress (ADC) colleagues are the most confused, stupid, rudderless, and wretched opposition leaders our country has ever seen.

They contribute nothing to the political table other than their massive ego, outrageous entitlement mindset, grotesque desperation, and predatory presidential dreams.

“Aside from baseless headline attacks on the current administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai and his cohorts have not presented, and, quite frankly, cannot present, policy prescriptions with the potential for greater effectiveness than those already being implemented by the Tinubu administration, with strong indicators of success.

“In recognition of the country’s economic woes, all three major candidates in the 2023 presidential election campaigned to eliminate fuel subsidies and harmonize several foreign exchange regimes.

Following his election and inauguration, President Tinubu quickly enacted the policy improvements he promised.

“After their crushing defeat at the polls, Atiku and Obi, seemingly, recanted their policy reform positions in order to justify sitting shamelessly at the table of hypocrisy and hurling invectives at President Tinubu and APC for implementing reform policies they also promised Nigerians.”

The party went on to say that if El-Rufai and his supporters despise the administration’s policy reforms as much as they claim, “why have they not presented policy proposals to restore fuel subsidies as they were and return the country to the ruinous era of fixing the naira’s value and operating multiple foreign exchange regimes that fed the greedy and insatiable appetite of the likes of El-Rufai, Atiku, Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi for decades?”

And, while they’re at it, tell Nigerians how they plan to finance the resulting enormous deficit, which would cause the economy to collapse.

“El-Rufai’s claims are both malicious and hollow. With a steady rebound in our economy and other indicators of verifiable progress in all sectors, including the ongoing revolution in agriculture; a 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 infrastructural development – with 420 roads and bridges under construction; strategic retooling of our military capabilities with 49 advanced aircrafts; unprecedented NE

The APC stated that El-Rufai’s rejection as a minister does not justify his allegations of clannishness against the administration.

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“A stupid remark like that can only come from someone who arrogantly equates his own self-interest with the interests of an entire ethnic group.

President Tinubu is unquestionably one of the most detribalized and patriotic Nigerians alive. No tribe, ethnicity, or religion has been marginalized, as El-Rufai would have Nigerians think.

“For a former governor who left a sordid legacy of obnoxious marginalisation of ethnic and religious minorities in Southern Kaduna, who sponsored sectarian violence and weaponised demolitions against innocent citizens; and hung a debt profile of N284 billion on tax payers, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO), El-Rufai is the poster child of bad governance and failed leadership,” the opposition party claimed.

The APC praised the Tinubu government, saying, “Nigeria is witnessing an era of visionary and transformational leadership under President Bola Tinubu.”

The administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda has fundamentally repositioned our country for continued prosperity and progress.

“We are confident that Nigerians will sustain their support for our great party and renew President Tinubu’s mandate come 2027, to consolidate on what now looks to be the most outstanding first term record of achievement of any president in our nation’s history.”