Former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, stated on Saturday that if Nigerians allow the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to continue in power, the remnants of the nation’s national cohesion may be destroyed.
He said during his visit to Sokoto State as part of a nationwide grassroots mobilisation campaign aimed at building momentum for a united opposition front in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
El-Rufai, a prominent figure in the adopted opposition coalition now operating under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), did not hold back in his criticism of the ruling APC, describing it as “incompetent, clannish, and dangerous to Nigeria’s future.”
Addressing a series of strategic meetings with political stakeholders, women, and youth groups drawn from all 23 local government areas of Sokoto State, the former FCT Minister called on Nigerians to rise and rescue the nation from what he called the grip of “poor governance and failed leadership.”
“I didn’t join politics to enrich myself but to serve. When leadership fails the people, it becomes the duty of every patriotic citizen to stand up and act. That’s what I’m doing — and I will not stop,” El-Rufai declared.
He explained that the coalition’s decision to adopt the ADC as its platform was a deliberate move to offer Nigerians a credible and unifying alternative come 2027.
“If we allow APC to continue, the little that remains of our national cohesion may be destroyed. This is not just an election — it’s the fight of our lives,” he warned.
El-Rufai commended the overwhelming turnout and support from Sokoto residents, noting that he was “deeply inspired by the passion and commitment” of both the grassroots and political elites in the state.
In his remarks, former Senator Abubakar Gada, a notable opposition figure in Sokoto, echoed El-Rufai’s sentiments, pledging that the coalition would provide credible and competent leadership both at the state and national levels.
The Sokoto rally is seen as a major milestone in the opposition’s strategic push to challenge APC dominance across the country, with El-Rufai’s visit signaling the start of what insiders describe as an “aggressive nationwide mobilization effort.”
