A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nwaorisa Gerald, has criticised the party’s leadership for failing to address growing tensions with former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
The reaction follows reports suggesting that El-Rufai is dissatisfied with both the party and the president, with speculations that failure to address the issue could deepen existing rifts within the APC or potentially weaken its internal unity.
The youth stakeholder, Gerald, also known as Pigo, while speaking on a television show, asserted that despite President Tinubu extending birthday wishes to El-Rufai via social media, the ex-governor’s contributions to the party remain unrecognized.
He said, “El-Rufai wasn’t treated well, even though he played a crucial role in ensuring this government came to power.”
Pigo further accused the APC National Working Committee of prioritizing new defectors over resolving internal disputes.
“The APC National Working Committee should man up and stop jumping around celebrating new defectors whose contributions to the party are uncertain. Instead, they should focus on reconciling with aggrieved leaders who have significantly contributed to APC’s success in the past,” he stated.
The APC stalwart also warned that party leaders and members must be cautious about how they treat fellow party members who have worked for the party’s victory at all levels.
He called on the National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to set up a reconciliation team to ensure the party enters the 2027 elections as a united body.
He urged APC members, especially the youth, to learn to speak the truth to their leaders to ensure they are valued, emphasizing, “Today, it is Mallam Nasir El-Rufai; tomorrow, it could be you.”
Pigo expressed dismay over the silence of party leaders regarding how the former governor was treated, stating that such actions should not be encouraged.
“APC as a party should not create an impression that members can be used and dumped at any time,” he stated.
