Ndume criticises El-Rufai Tinubu fallout, suggests karma for betrayal of Amaechi, and warns he may dump APC if national issues remain unresolved
Ndume criticises El-Rufai Tinubu relationship, suggesting former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai is now reaping the consequences of abandoning former minister Rotimi Amaechi during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries.
Also read: Tinubu Gets Party Backing For 2027 Re-election Bid But No Decision Yet On Running Mate
Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South and served as the Director-General of Amaechi’s presidential campaign, reflected on El-Rufai’s political missteps and signalled his own growing dissatisfaction with the ruling party.
Ndume, a key voice in the Senate, warned that if President Bola Tinubu fails to resolve Nigeria’s challenges, he may be forced to quit the APC.
“If I decide to leave the APC, I will not hide it. I still believe President Tinubu can fix things. Failure to fix those things may cause me to leave the APC,” he declared.
The senator criticised the trend of unchecked defections into the ruling party, warning that flooding the APC with too many political players could destabilise it.
“If Tinubu continues this way, it doesn’t matter if he loads more people or governors, you are just endangering the APC. When you overload a ship, it might lead to the capsizing of the party,” he said.
Turning to El-Rufai’s strained ties with Tinubu, Ndume recalled how the former governor initially aligned with Amaechi during the primaries before switching support to Tinubu.
I still believe President Tinubu can fix things. Failure to fix those things may cause me to leave the APC.
“El-Rufai was supposed to be on our side, Amaechi’s side. Before Tinubu was nominated, he made up his mind to support Tinubu. Tinubu, as he rightly said, told him not to leave but to come on board,” he noted.
Ndume also reflected on El-Rufai’s failed ministerial nomination, recalling how he and fellow senators had nearly facilitated a smooth screening before his appointment was ultimately blocked.
“But sometimes, I’ll say, ‘Okay o, you did that to us, it’s payback to yourself’,” he added.
Since being denied a cabinet role, El-Rufai has grown increasingly critical of Tinubu’s administration and is now affiliated with the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Ndume, meanwhile, has continued to sound the alarm on what he views as governance failures.
Earlier this month on Channels TV, he accused Tinubu’s aides of deceiving the president and tarnishing his image. He claimed the administration has been hijacked by “kleptocrats” and “kakistocrats.”
Also read: APC Chieftain Clarifies Tinubu Endorsement, Dismisses Shettima Rift Rumors After Gombe Incident
As tensions simmer within the ruling party, Ndume criticises El-Rufai Tinubu fallout not just as a matter of loyalty, but as a warning of deeper fractures threatening the unity of the APC.
