APC Accuses El-Rufai of Plotting to Impose Atiku as ADC Presidential Candidate
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, of scheming to impose former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 elections, a move the party claims threatens Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement and national unity.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 4, 2025, by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, the party alleged that El-Rufai and his allies within the ADC are attempting to undermine the existing power-sharing agreement, which currently favors the South, as President Bola Tinubu, a southerner, holds the presidency. The APC argued that pushing for Atiku’s candidacy disregards this arrangement and could destabilize national cohesion.
The accusations follow El-Rufai’s recent remarks at a political meeting in Sokoto on Saturday, where he reportedly criticized the Tinubu-led administration as “incompetent and clannish.” The APC dismissed these comments, with Morka stating that El-Rufai and his associates in the ADC have failed to present credible policy alternatives, instead resorting to “headline attacks” against the government.
“El-Rufai and Atiku want to do to Nigeria what Atiku did to PDP. The El-Rufai and Atiku hijacked ADC constitute a clear and present threat to the unity, peace, and progress of Nigeria,” Morka declared in the statement.
The APC further accused the opposition figures of lacking substantive policy proposals, urging Nigerians to reject their tactics. Neither El-Rufai nor Atiku has publicly responded to the allegations as of press time. The controversy has heightened political tensions, with analysts suggesting it could shape the dynamics of the 2027 presidential race.
