Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has recently made headlines for mocking the current leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political party that once propelled him to prominence. Speaking on Monday, El-Rufai directly addressed members of the APC who have been critical of his past actions, saying that their consciences would “not let them sleep.” He further stated that he has moved on from the criticisms, emphasizing that the situation is now a part of his life experience.
El-Rufai’s remarks were in response to comments made by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who recently praised the former governor for his stance on rotating the presidency to the South. Makinde, in a past statement, had commended El-Rufai and several other APC governors for putting aside their personal ambitions in order to ensure that the party’s presidential ticket was zoned to the South.
Makinde had said, “I must give Kudos to governors on the platform of APC. Governors like El-Rufai, the governor of Jigawa, Mai Mala Buni; and that of Kogi. They came together within their party and said for the unity of this country, let’s sacrifice our ambition.” He added, “Let the presidency rotate to the south, so we must give Kudos to them. But what happened in our own party is that we were fighting ourselves, I don’t think that is right.”
In a social media post, El-Rufai shared a video of Makinde’s praise, further amplifying his position on the matter. He also posted a previous comment from APC chieftain Ayekooto Akindele, who had stated that El-Rufai was proactive in preventing potential political divides within the party. Akindele noted that El-Rufai had successfully blocked strategies aimed at splitting ethnic groups in the North and South, further asserting that El-Rufai had foreseen the aftermath of the APC primary election, particularly in relation to the southern power shift.
El-Rufai’s post on X, formerly Twitter, expressed his thoughts on the unfolding situation. “We did what we did for God, Country, and Party, expecting nothing in return,” he wrote. “What is unfolding is merely another life experience, @realYusufTukur, and part and parcel of human nature. We have got over it and moved on, but their conscience won’t let them sleep well. Thanks anyway. – @elrufai.”
The former governor’s latest comments come amid ongoing frustrations with the APC, particularly its internal struggles. El-Rufai has recently been vocal about what he perceives as the party’s failure to uphold its foundational principles, citing a lack of internal democracy.
