A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, has urged the ruling party to mend its relationship with former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, stressing that the party cannot afford to lose him.
Igbokwe made this call in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, following El-Rufai’s claim that the APC was attempting to undermine opposition parties in Nigeria.
Speaking at a conference organized by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development in Abuja, El-Rufai alleged: “There seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties.”
The APC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, swiftly dismissed El-Rufai’s allegation, labelling it as “pitiful” and a sign of incompetence.
Morka said:“The bizarre suggestion by opposition figures like Atiku, Peter Obi, and recently, aggrieved leaders like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that our great party may be complicit in the internal corrosion of opposition parties is pitiful, and only an incompetent alibi for their crass failure to manage their own affairs.
“They cannot govern their parties but tout their ability to govern Africa’s most populous country.”
Despite the backlash from APC leadership, Igbokwe called on the party to draw El-Rufai closer, citing his contributions to the 2023 general elections.
He recalled El-Rufai’s strong opposition to the naira redesign policy implemented by the Godwin Emefiele-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which threatened President Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid.
Igbokwe also criticized the way El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination was blocked in the Senate, saying: “He was nominated as a Minister, and we allowed shenanigans and people without honour to stop his nomination for reasons we do not know.”
“Of what meat are they fed? Who among all the Ministers in the Federal Cabinet is greater, smarter, bolder, more clever, proficient, and deeper than Mallam El-Rufai?”
Igbokwe warned that neglecting El-Rufai could cost APC dearly, adding that the ex-governor remains a strong political figure.
“For whatever reason, APC Nigeria must not ignore this great man. We cannot afford to lose him to a rival party,” he added.
