The party also fired the same shot at the immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, over their comments on it at the just concluded 2-day National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday, January 27 and 28.
Felix Morka, the APC national publicity secretary, fired the shot at the political bigwigs in a statement on Tuesday, January 28, stating that their positions are misguided and baseless.
PDP crisis: APC kicked against Atiku’s comment
Morka noted that Atiku had consistently blamed the APC for the PDP internal crisis, saying Atiku’s claim is “like a broken record.”
At the conference, Atiku claimed that Nigeria’s democracy has been undermined by the judicial meddlement in electoral matters.
Atiku further alleged that President Bola Tinubu has paid N50 million to some opposition leaders to destabilise rival parties, but the APC in its response dismissed the allegations.
APC took a swipe against El-Rufai
The statement further took a swipe at El-Rufai, adding that his comments at the conference were unwarranted.
Morka stressed that the opposition leaders have publicised their inability to constructively engage the government on critical issues of national concern.
The APC’s statement reads in part:
“We cannot possibly forget how Atiku’s PDP heavy-handedly captured most South-West states and vowed to remain in power for 60 years. It was in those same years that Atiku’s former boss and then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, infamously described the election as a “do or die affair” in a desperate attempt to annex Lagos.”
APC claimed it is better than PDP
Morka maintained that Nigeria’s democracy was neither endangered nor derailed during the administration of Obasanjo and Atiku and now, elections are more credible, freer and fairer.
The ruling party maintained that the judiciary was constitutionally created through the constitution, just like the executive and the legislative. It has the judicial power to address issues among citizens and between citizens within the state.
The APC then told Atiku that the position of the court to intervene in civil matters cannot be washed away, which electoral disputes.
El-Rufai dismissed rumours of dumping APC
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna state governor, has clarified that he was not planning to leave the ruling APC, contrary to speculation.
El-Rufai made the clarification on Tuesday, January 28, at the National Conference that was held in Abuja for two days.
The former governor maintained that his reason for going against the party was that he wanted the right thing to be done.