The Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have berated the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai, for criticizing the leadership of the party to which he belongs.

El-rufai, at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Africa on Monday, lamented that the APC doesn't respect internal democracy.

He also accused the party of poor leadership as well as fielding candidates who are not qualified for leadership roles.

He added, “I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”

This was as he expressed the need for the opposition to solve the crisis within themselves and ensure that Nigeria has the appropriate leadership.

“There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party. The Labour Party is also facing similar issues. Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with.’

“There seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties. This is dangerous. For those of us who lived half our lives under military rule, we know what it is. We don’t want military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babbarriga and suits.

“This is a national emergency, and we must act before history repeats itself,” El-rufai appealed.

Reacting, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused El-rufai of working to unseat the government of President Bola Tinubu.

He shared on X, “My Senior brother if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position?

“History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam, a Ji soron Allah mana.”

Also, the National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, criticized the former governor, saying his opinion is not a reflection of the party.

He said, “The beauty of democracy is that it gives people the right to express their own opinion. El-Rufai, as an individual, party member, former governor, ex-minister, and a well-respected politician, is entitled to his opinion. But that is not to say that is exactly what is happening in the APC.

“It’s all a question of views, perspectives and circumstances surrounding issues. I wouldn’t want to go deep into the internal issues of the party, and the position of El-Rufa today with regards to the party. But I can assure you, the APC is a listening party. The APC, under the leadership of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, gives people the chance to ventilate their views.

“If there is any grouse or any misunderstanding, he always gives people the chance to come and talk. So, El-Rufai knows best how to channel this complaint, and if there are certain things he wants done to sanitise what he feels is going wrong, he knows what to do. I can assure you, the party will give him the listening ear.”

Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, issued a statement rubbishing claims by El-rufai and other opposition figures against the APC.

He said, "The bizarre suggestion by opposition figures like Atiku, Peter Obi, and recently, aggrieved leaders like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that our great Party may be complicit in the internal corrosion of opposition parties is pitiful, and only an incompetent alibi for their crass failure to manage their own affairs. They cannot govern their parties but tout their ability to govern Africa’s most populous country."