The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s recent exit from the party, telling the former Kaduna State Governor to “quit sulking, get a grip and salvage some respectability.”
In a statement signed by Felix Morka, Esq., the APC National Publicity Secretary, the party accused El-Rufai of being driven by raw self-interest rather than a genuine concern for the country. “El-Rufai’s claim that APC has deviated from its founding values or progressive ideology is a smokescreen to weaponize personal grievance garbed as principled dissent,” Morka said.
The APC also took a swipe at El-Rufai’s new party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), saying it is not an ideological safe haven. “El-Rufai’s call for opposition members to join him under SDP banner is nothing short of an invitation to drink from a chalice poisoned by selfishness, vengefulness and delusion of grandeur,” Morka added.
The party further stated that President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated an ironclad commitment to good governance and launched unprecedented policy reforms to address the country’s generational challenges. “Across all sectors, Nigerians are witnessing tangible progress in the delivery of the President’s campaign promises. Indisputably, Nigeria is better off today than when he took office,” Morka said.
The APC also highlighted the country’s economic progress under President Tinubu, citing the removal of fuel subsidy, unification of exchange rates, and reforms in customs and taxation, which have led to a massive increase in non-oil revenues. “The President’s strong political will to re-imagine and revitalize Nigeria’s economy is paying off with significant improvement in the country’s GDP growth rate,” Morka said.
According to the APC, Nigeria’s GDP growth rate has surged to 3.8% year-on-year in Q4 2024, up from 3.46% in the previous quarter, marking the highest growth rate posted since Q4 2021. The party also noted that the country’s balance of payment has seen remarkable improvement, with a substantial trade surplus of $14.31 billion in 2024.
The APC attributed this impressive performance to the administration’s prudent economic policies and provision of a favorable business environment, which has been widely applauded by the international financial and investment community. “Further, under President Tinubu’s steady leadership, state and local governments now receive vastly higher allocations from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), enabling them to extend development to their people,” Morka said.
The APC concluded by telling El-Rufai to offer constructive criticism or alternative policies as expected of serious-minded political opposition, rather than engaging in scurrilous propaganda and deliberate misinformation. “El-Rufai is free to choose his political affiliation as he has done. He should quit sulking, get a grip and salvage some respectability,” Morka said.
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