Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Minister of Interior and a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has publicly denounced the party’s performance, stating that Nigerians are suffering due to its “failure of leadership.”
Aregbesola, now the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), delivered the sharp critique during the official unveiling of the ADC Secretariat in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Saturday.
The former Osun State governor accused the APC of mismanaging the nation’s affairs through a combination of “incompetence, greed, and poor leadership,” which he claimed has led to severe economic and social hardship.
“Under the current administration, hunger has taken over the land. Governance has been reduced to personal enrichment and political intimidation,” Aregbesola asserted. “Nigerians are suffering because of the failure of leadership at all levels under the APC.”
Aregbesola further alleged that the ruling party has become intolerant of opposing viewpoints, utilizing state machinery to suppress dissent. “If the APC is confident of its strength, it would not be hounding and haunting opposition members everywhere,” he added.
The ADC official positioned his new party as the credible alternative for the 2027 general elections, expressing optimism that the palpable dissatisfaction among the populace would translate into victory for the ADC. He declared that “the hatred of Nigerians for the ruling party is obvious, and the party that will harvest that unpopularity is the ADC.”
The APC’s Lagos State chapter quickly dismissed Aregbesola’s claims in a subsequent counter-statement, describing the remarks as the actions of a former member engaged in “political suicide of the highest order.”
