Nigeria may not survive APC retains power in 2027 – El-Rufai warns

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a stark warning that Nigeria’s unity could be in jeopardy if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins a second term in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Saturday in Sokoto during a grassroots mobilisation event for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — an opposition coalition — El-Rufai said his decision to align with the coalition was driven by the need to remove the ruling party from power.

El-Rufai, once a prominent APC figure, pledged to rally Nigerians against what he described as an “incompetent” administration.

“I’m not in politics to get anything for myself. I’m in politics to serve,” he said.

“When the government does not serve the people, it is my duty as a senior citizen to come out and condemn it and take steps to reverse the situation.

“That is why we come together as people opposed to the policies of this government to form the coalition, which has resulted in the adoption of ADC.

“We are in Sokoto to begin the process of mobilising Nigerians against the APC government anywhere and the federal government in Abuja.

“I believe that if we allow this party and the government to continue for a second term in office, what remains of Nigeria’s social capital will be destroyed, and we may not have a country at all. This is a fight for our lives.”

El-Rufai was one of the founding members of the APC but parted ways with the party in March 2025, defecting to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). His departure followed the national assembly’s refusal to confirm his ministerial nomination over alleged security concerns.

In June, the SDP expelled El-Rufai and banned him from the party for 30 years over accusations of forged membership records and other issues.

Now a leading figure in the ADC coalition, the former governor has vowed to play an active role in challenging the APC’s hold on power ahead of 2027.