Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has once again exposed the depth of his hypocrisy and nepotism with a viral claim that has ignited outrage across social media. In a statement widely circulated on X (formerly Twitter), El-Rufai declared: “Only my son is performing well in the APC. That is why he is not following me to the ADC.”
The remark came as El-Rufai formally abandoned the All Progressives Congress (APC) — the same party that elevated him to power — for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid his growing rift with the Tinubu administration. While the former governor positions himself as a fierce critic of the ruling party, his son, Bello El-Rufai, a federal lawmaker, remains comfortably embedded in the APC.
Nigerians have not been kind in their response. The claim has been widely condemned as a naked display of elite entitlement, with netizens accusing El-Rufai of admitting that the APC is a failed party — except when it comes to advancing his own family’s interests.
Netizen Reactions
Social media erupted with scathing abuse:
“El-Rufai saying his son is the only one performing in APC just shows how much these politicians think Nigerians are gullible. On what metric exactly? What bills passed? What people impacted? We’re not clapping for family PR — show us the work,” one user fired.
“Only a fool will join this man. Even his own son rejected his new ‘grudge party’. Charity begins at home, Butcher of Kaduna!” another wrote, reviving the infamous nickname earned during his controversial governorship.
“So the entire APC is useless except your son? The same APC you helped build and now you’re running from? Hypocrisy at its finest!” a third commenter raged.
“He knows his son will lose re-election in ADC, that’s why he’s not following him. Pure self-preservation and nepotism,” added another.
El-Rufai’s Record of Failures
The backlash is particularly sharp because El-Rufai’s eight years as Kaduna governor were defined by monumental failures that directly contradict his boast about “performance.”
Southern Kaduna was devastated by relentless killings, with thousands dead in what many described as ethnic and religious persecution of minority communities. El-Rufai was accused of bias, even admitting in 2016 to tracing and compensating foreign Fulani herdsmen to “stop killings” — a statement that shocked the nation and reinforced perceptions of complicity.
His administration was notorious for arbitrary arrests of journalists, activists, and critics, demolition sprees without due process, and open defiance of court orders.
Today, his successor’s administration is probing his government over alleged misuse of loans running into hundreds of billions of naira, including a Kaduna State House of Assembly report citing N423 billion in questionable transactions.
Yet, while El-Rufai now paints the APC as irredeemable and claims he is being targeted for his criticism, he conveniently leaves his son behind to continue enjoying the very system he publicly denounces. The message to Nigerians is clear: the APC is only good enough for the El-Rufai dynasty.
This latest episode has further damaged whatever remained of El-Rufai’s credibility. Many see it as the final proof that his defection is not about principle or good governance, but personal vendetta and family interest. As one netizen bluntly put it: “Even his own blood doesn’t trust his new party. Why should we?”
The former governor’s political relevance appears to be shrinking faster than the respect he once commanded. Nigerians have spoken — and they are not impressed.