El-Rufai’s Political Relevance Is Over – APC Mocks Ex-Kaduna Governor Amid Defection Rumors

In an interview with Saturday Punch, APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Ijeomah Arodiogbu, labeled El-Rufai a “spent force,” stating that both the party and President Tinubu remain politically unshaken.

“El-Rufai has alienated many people across different backgrounds, making him a political outcast,” Arodiogbu asserted. He further noted that the Christian community, which El-Rufai allegedly offended with controversial remarks after the 2023 presidential election, is unlikely to forgive him for at least a decade.

El-Rufai, who formally exited the APC on Monday, announced his plan to mobilize and unite opposition forces to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

“I will focus on engaging and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to unite under a single democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and by-elections,” he declared.

However, both the Presidency and the APC dismissed his ambitions, accusing him of harboring an “inordinate ambition destined to fail.”

APC Will Only Grow Stronger – Ex-Minister

A former Minister of Communications and APC stalwart, Adebayo Shittu, also downplayed El-Rufai’s defection, insisting it would not weaken the ruling party or affect Tinubu’s re-election prospects.

“Despite initial challenges, including fuel subsidy removal, APC’s support base is growing stronger. Many former PDP and Labour Party members are now joining the party in large numbers,” Shittu noted.

He further claimed that even in Kaduna, many of El-Rufai’s former allies, disillusioned by his leadership, are now defecting to the APC instead.

Expressing confidence in Tinubu’s chances in 2027, Shittu predicted that the APC would reclaim key strongholds it lost in 2023, including Kaduna, Lagos, and parts of the South-East.