El-Rufai Speaks on How and When APC Will Exit Power, "PDP Ruled for 16 Years"
- Former Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, said Nigeria had no permanent ruling party and that political power remained open to change
- El-Rufai stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress would not govern indefinitely, recalling that the Peoples Democratic Party lost power after 16 years in office
- He warned that while electoral competition existed, Nigeria’s political system had yet to translate rivalry into accountability, strong institutions and good governance
Former Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has said Nigeria does not have a permanent ruling party, noting that political power in the country remains contestable and could change hands again in the 2027 general election.
El-Rufai made the remarks while reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic evolution, arguing that the All Progressives Congress (APC), like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before it, would not govern indefinitely.
Source: Twitter
“Nigeria does not have a permanent ruling party. That is an achievement compared to countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and even our neighbours, Benin and Togo,” he said.
El-Rufai: PDP ruled for 16 years, APC will not govern forever
The former governor recalled that the PDP governed Nigeria for 16 uninterrupted years before losing power in 2015, stressing that the same political fate could await the APC, Daily Trust reported.
“The PDP ruled for 16 years. The APC will not govern forever. It is likely that in 2027 the APC will be gone,” El-Rufai stated.
According to him, the ability of opposition parties to win elections and unseat incumbents distinguishes Nigeria from dominant-party systems in other parts of Africa.
“Power, therefore, remains contestable, and that is a major strength of Nigeria’s democracy,” he added.
Competition yet to mature into accountability
Despite this democratic advantage, El-Rufai warned that political competition in Nigeria had not yet translated into accountability or good governance.
“Competition has not yet matured into accountability and good governance,” he said.
He argued that elite circulation had progressed faster than institutional development, leaving political parties weak and overly dependent on personalities rather than ideology or strong internal structures.
“Parties remain weak, personality-driven and transactional,” El-Rufai noted.
Nigeria records selective economic and industrial gains
El-Rufai also acknowledged that Nigeria had recorded episodic economic and industrial progress over the years, often driven by periods of macroeconomic discipline and infrastructure investment.
“Nigeria has experienced selective economic and industrial gains. There are years of growth driven by macroeconomic discipline and infrastructure investment,” he said.
He cited the emergence of major private-sector investments as evidence of this progress.
“Nigeria became a net exporter in some areas thanks to Dangote and other large-scale manufacturers,” he added.
Dangote refinery key to self-sufficiency
Highlighting recent industrial developments, El-Rufai described the Dangote Refinery as a strategic asset that could reposition Nigeria towards self-sufficiency in critical sectors.
Source: Twitter
“The Dangote refinery positions Nigeria towards self-sufficiency in refined petroleum, petrochemicals and fertiliser,” he said.
However, he stressed that sustained progress would depend on stronger institutions, credible political parties and governance reforms that go beyond electoral competition.
El-Rufai’s comments have since sparked debate within political circles ahead of the 2027 general election, particularly on the future of the APC and the maturity of Nigeria’s democratic system.
El-Rufai mentions politicians free of corruption allegations
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna, has alleged that the only politicians who are not being accused of corruption are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and such a scenario must be checked.
The former governor explained that to achieve effective governance in Nigeria, fairness, justice and good governance must be entrenched in the system. He stressed that accountability must not be selective.
Source: Legit.ng
