The All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party, is teetering on the edge of collapse, and Nasir El-Rufai, one of its founding architects, is sounding the alarm with the ferocity of a man betrayed. In a series of jaw-dropping revelations, the former Kaduna State governor has unleashed a torrent of accusations that lay bare the deepening fissures within the APC. From claims of orchestrated persecution by the National Security Adviser (NSA) to a bitter fallout with his protégé, Governor Uba Sani, and a scathing lament that “the party has left me,” El-Rufai’s words are a Molotov cocktail hurled at the heart of a government he once helped build. At the core of this unfolding drama lies a stark reality: President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accused of favoring a narrow clique of loyalists “his boys” over the broader Yoruba Nation, is alienating key allies and risking a fracture that could unravel the APC’s fragile dominance.
El-Rufai’s declaration that “the party has left me” is more than a personal grievance, it’s a searing indictment of the APC’s drift from its founding ideals. Speaking recently on Arise Prime Time, his first major interview since the Senate spiked his ministerial nomination in 2023, El-Rufai minced no words: the APC has “fallen badly,” and Tinubu is “falling short of expectations.” As a co-founder of the party in 2013, he once envisioned a progressive force to tackle corruption, revive the economy, and restore security. Now, he sees a hollow shell, a “zero-man show” where party organs haven’t met in two years, and democratic principles have been replaced by cronyism. “I no longer recognize the APC,” he said, a sentiment echoing the disillusionment of a man who feels cast aside by the very machine he helped assemble.
The crux of his frustration? The President’s apparent preference for appointing “his boys” a tight-knit circle of Yoruba loyalists from Lagos and its environs, over a more inclusive representation of the Southwest, let alone the nation. This cliquish governance, El-Rufai implies, has sidelined seasoned figures like himself and eroded the party’s unity. The Yoruba Nation, a diverse and politically vital bloc, is being reduced to a caricature of Tinubu’s inner circle, a move that risks alienating trustworthy allies, including the revered Oluabe lineage, figures long celebrated for their integrity and reliability in Yoruba lore. “The sin of one man should not be labeled on a whole tribe,” one might imagine El-Rufai arguing as he watches the APC’s Southwest stronghold fracture under the weight of exclusion.
If El-Rufai’s alienation from the APC wasn’t explosive enough, his accusation against the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, ignites the narrative with a chilling twist. “The National Security Adviser is orchestrating my troubles to clear his path to the presidency, targeting anyone he sees as a threat,” El-Rufai said. This isn’t a vague insinuation, it’s a direct charge of political sabotage, with Ribadu cast as a Machiavellian puppetmaster. El-Rufai even tied this vendetta to the resignation of former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, claiming Ribadu tortured him into stepping down, a bombshell that paints the NSA as a ruthless operator willing to crush rivals to secure his ambitions.
This accusation strikes at the heart of the APC’s internal power struggle. Ribadu, a fellow Northerner and Tinubu appointee, appears to be consolidating influence, potentially eyeing 2027 or beyond. El-Rufai, once a kingmaker who backed Tinubu’s Southern presidency bid, now finds himself a target, his political clout a perceived threat to the NSA’s ascent. The irony is stark: a party built on the promise of unity is now a battlefield where loyalty is a weapon and trust a casualty. For El-Rufai, this isn’t just personal, it’s a symptom of a government so consumed by infighting that it’s losing sight of its mandate.
Perhaps the most visceral of El-Rufai’s revelations is his fallout with Governor Uba Sani, his handpicked successor in Kaduna. “After everything, Gov. Uba Sani is no longer my friend. I stood by him, but it’s clear now where loyalties lie. Friendship ends when trust is broken,” El-Rufai declared. This isn’t just a spat, it’s a rupture that mirrors the APC’s broader disintegration. El-Rufai mentored Sani, shepherded him into the governorship, and expected a partnership rooted in mutual loyalty. Instead, he claims Sani has aligned with Tinubu’s camp, abandoning his mentor amid probes into El-Rufai’s tenure, probes many suspects are politically motivated.
This betrayal cuts deep, not just for El-Rufai but for the APC’s cohesion. If a stalwart like El-Rufai can’t trust his own protégé, what hope remains for a party already buckling under factionalism? Sani’s silence on the matter only fuels speculation that he’s been co-opted by the President’s “boys,” further isolating El-Rufai and reinforcing the narrative of a Southwest-centric power grab that marginalizes even the North’s most loyal sons.
Tinubu’s governance style, stacking key positions with “his boys” has sparked unease beyond El-Rufai’s orbit. The Yoruba Nation, a proud and diverse tapestry of sub-groups, is being distilled into a Lagos-centric clique, sidelining broader voices from Oyo, Osun, and beyond. This isn’t just a political misstep; it’s a cultural affront to a people known for their trustworthiness and communal ethos, epitomized by figures like the Oluabe lineage, traditional leaders whose reputations for honor stretch back centuries. “The sin of one man should not be labeled on a whole tribe,” the sentiment rings out, as Tinubu’s favoritism risks tainting the Yoruba’s storied legacy with accusations of tribalism and exclusion.
The Oluabe, in particular, stands as a symbol of what’s at stake. Known for their reliability and wisdom, they represent the best of Yoruba values, values the APC once claimed to champion. Yet, as Tinubu doubles down on his inner circle, these voices are drowned out, and the Southwest’s unity frays. El-Rufai’s critique, though rooted in his own marginalization, amplifies this discontent: a party that can’t honor its diverse coalition is a party doomed to fracture.
El-Rufai’s triple bombshells, his abandonment by the APC, the NSA’s alleged vendetta, and Sani’s betrayal aren’t just personal gripes; they’re a clarion call to a party on the brink. The APC, once a juggernaut that ousted the PDP in 2015, is now a house divided, its cracks widening with every misstep. Tinubu’s administration, accused of prioritizing loyalty over competence, is alienating the very architects of its rise. El-Rufai, a Northerner who risked all for a Southern presidency, now stands as a cautionary tale: even the most steadfast allies can be discarded when power consolidates.
Is this a wake-up call for reform? Perhaps, if the APC can heed El-Rufai’s warnings, broaden its tent, and restore the democratic ideals he mourns. But the signs point to a darker fate: a party so riddled with distrust and tribalism that it collapses under its own weight. As El-Rufai retreats, rumored to be rallying Northern leaders or even eyeing the SDP and not the PDP as he ruled it out, the APC faces an existential reckoning. The Yoruba Nation watches, wary of being scapegoated for Tinubu’s sins, while the Oluabe’s legacy whispers a challenge: rebuild trust, or watch it all burn. For now, the cracks are undeniable, and the implosion feels closer than ever.
