Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said theAll Progressives Congress (APC) will not remain in power indefinitely,stressing that political power in Nigeria remains contestable. El-Rufai made the statement during the 23rd DailyTrust Dialogue, themed “Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: What Is Working and What IsNot.” According to him, Nigeria’s democratic experience stands outon the African continent because no single party permanently controls power. “Nigeria does not have a permanent ruling party, and that isan achievement,” El-Rufai said. He noted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governedNigeria for 16 years before losing power, adding that the APC will also notrule forever. “The PDP governed for 16 years. The APC will not governforever. It is likely that in 2027, the APC will be gone,” he said. El-Rufai said this reality shows that power in Nigeriaremains open to competition, unlike in some African countries with dominantparty systems. “Power therefore, remains contestable. This distinguishesNigeria from dominant party systems elsewhere on the continent,” he said. However, he added that political competition has not yettranslated into good governance or accountability. “Competition has not yet matured into accountability andgood governance,” El-Rufai said. He also noted that political parties in Nigeria remain weak,describing them as “personality-driven and transactional.” The former governor spoke from Brussels, Belgium, where hesaid he was recovering from illness, and apologized for his absence from theevent in Abuja.
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