Former Kayode Fayemi has stirred political conversations across Nigeria after reportedly stating that the ruling All Progressives Congress has “lost its bearing and vision,” a remark that has triggered strong reactions from critics and supporters alike.
Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State and ex-Minister of Mines and Steel Development, remains one of the prominent founding figures within the APC. His comments are being interpreted by many political observers as part of growing internal concerns over the direction of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, critics have sharply pushed back against his remarks, accusing the former governor of hypocrisy and political revisionism. According to some reactions circulating across political circles and social media platforms, Fayemi himself represents part of the leadership class that allegedly contributed to the current challenges facing both the party and governance in Nigeria.
One of the strongest criticisms references the controversial airport project executed during Fayemi’s administration in Ekiti State. Opponents have repeatedly questioned the economic viability and strategic importance of the airport, describing it as an expensive project that failed to significantly transform the state’s economy. Supporters of Fayemi, however, have defended the project as a long-term infrastructural investment aimed at opening up Ekiti State for commerce, tourism, and investment opportunities.
Despite those defenses, critics insist that Fayemi lacks the moral authority to accuse the APC of losing direction. In their view, the deeper question Nigerians should ask is whether the party ever truly possessed the “bearing and vision” it claimed to represent when it emerged in 2013 through the merger of major opposition parties including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and factions of APGA and PDP.
The APC rose to power in 2015 on promises of fighting corruption, improving security, and rebuilding the Nigerian economy. The party’s historic victory ended the 16-year rule of the Peoples Democratic Party and was widely celebrated as a turning point in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
However, over the years, the party has faced mounting criticism over worsening economic hardship, rising inflation, insecurity, unemployment, and internal divisions. Analysts say those growing frustrations have fueled public skepticism about whether the APC has truly fulfilled its campaign promises.
Political commentators also note that Fayemi’s comments may reflect wider cracks within the ruling party as key stakeholders position themselves ahead of future political alignments. Several APC chieftains in recent months have expressed dissatisfaction with internal party structures, leadership decisions, and governance outcomes at both federal and state levels.
For many Nigerians reacting online, the debate goes beyond Fayemi himself. It touches on broader questions about accountability, governance, and whether Nigeria’s major political parties genuinely represent ideological visions or simply operate as platforms for power struggles.
Some critics argue that successive administrations under different political parties have often recycled the same political elite while ordinary Nigerians continue to struggle with economic instability and declining living standards. Others maintain that despite its shortcomings, the APC inherited deep structural problems and continues to face enormous governance challenges in a difficult global economic climate.
Fayemi’s remarks have therefore reopened an old national conversation: has the APC truly drifted away from its founding ideals, or were those ideals merely political slogans from the beginning?
As reactions continue to trail the statement, one thing remains clear — the battle for public perception ahead of 2027 has already begun, and leading political figures within Nigeria’s ruling establishment appear increasingly willing to publicly challenge one another over the future of the party and the country itself.
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