Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has issued a sharp critique of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging the party projects its own misconduct onto political opponents. His comments follow a attempted arrest by security agencies last week, intensifying a high-profile political confrontation.
Speaking on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ programme on Friday, El-Rufai claimed the current administration operates from a position of desperation, seeking to dismantle those outside its circle. “They think we were thieves like them when in government,” he stated, referring to the APC leadership.
The controversy stems from a Thursday incident where operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attempted to detain El-Rufai, an event that sparked national debate. The former governor detailed a prolonged official scrutiny, asserting that investigators have found no evidence of wrongdoing during his tenure. He said authorities have interrogated and charged many of his former senior officials, including his Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Finance, with what he termed “frivolous charges.”
El-Rufai directly implicated his successor as Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, accusing him of enabling the federal government’s actions. To underscore his integrity, El-Rufai issued a public challenge: “I challenge any Nigerian to come out and expose me if I ever took one aided bribe while in public office.” He highlighted his service in public office from 1999 to 2007, a period that includes his tenure as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and later as governor.
This public clash underscores the deepening rift within Nigeria’s dominant political party. El-Rufai, a prominent APC figure and key architect of the party’s initial electoral success, has become a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The attempted arrest and his defiant response highlight a significant escalation in political tensions, with legal proceedings against his allies forming a central point of contention.
The situation points to a protracted political and legal battle. Observers note that El-Rufai’s allegations of political persecution and his stringent denial of corruption will likely fuel further public and institutional discourse on the use of state powers in political disputes. The federal government has not issued a direct response to El-Rufai’s specific accusations regarding the DSS actions or the motivations behind the investigations.
