Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has sparked a fresh political conversation by asserting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not have a permanent lease on power. Speaking at the 23rd Daily Trust Dialogue, the former governor offered a candid assessment of the country’s political landscape, suggesting that the era of the current ruling party could potentially reach its end sooner than many expect.
El-Rufai pointed out that one of the most significant achievements of the Nigerian democratic system is that it lacks a permanent ruling party. He noted that this fluidity sets Nigeria apart from many other African nations where a single party often dominates the political space for decades without any real challenge.
Reflecting on the nation’s political history, El-Rufai reminded his audience that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) once held a firm grip on power for sixteen years before eventually losing to the opposition. e believes the APC will follow a similar path, stating bluntly that the party will not govern forever and could even be out of power by the 2027 general elections.
While he praised the fact that power remains contestable and open to competition, El-Rufai did not shy away from the darker side of Nigerian politics. He lamented that this healthy competition between parties has yet to translate into the kind of accountability and good governance that the citizens deserve. In his view, the ability to win an election is one thing, but using that victory to deliver real results for the people is an entirely different challenge that hasn’t been fully met.
The former governor also took a swipe at the structure of political parties in Nigeria, describing them as weak and lacking a clear ideological foundation. He argued that most parties today are largely personality-driven and transactional in nature, rather than being built on principles that serve the long-term interests of the country.
