In his most significant political move yet, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has officially left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), sending shockwaves through Nigeria’s political circles. While El-Rufai frames his exit as a principled move, the Presidency and the APC dismiss it as an act of personal ambition doomed to fail.
El-Rufai announced his decision on his verified Facebook page, stating that APC has drifted from its founding principles. He cited a lack of internal democracy and growing misalignment with his values as the main reasons for his departure.
“The developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party,” he wrote.
The former governor recalled his role in forming the APC and expressed disappointment in its current trajectory. He made it clear that his defection was not just about leaving APC but about building a stronger opposition to challenge the ruling party.
“As a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027,” he said. In other news, iNaijanow recently shared a post on the arrest of former Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Emmanuel over an alleged 700 billion naira fraud.
The Presidency and APC leaders dismissed El-Rufai’s move, calling it inconsequential. Daniel Bwala, a presidential spokesperson, said the former governor’s decision had nothing to do with ideology but rather personal ambition.
“The motive is what we will interrogate in the coming days,” Bwala wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Associating with sore losers to unseat the incumbent is not an ideology; it is simply an inordinate ambition destined to fail.”
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, also weighed in. He suggested that El-Rufai’s frustration stemmed from not being appointed a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
“He worked hard for Tinubu’s election, no doubt,” Onanuga said on a television program. “But he is behaving like a child crying over spilled milk. It’s time for him to move on.”
In Kaduna, APC leaders were unshaken by El-Rufai’s defection. Yahaya Baba-Pate, the party’s secretary, insisted that the former governor’s departure would not weaken APC in the state.
“Our main focus is on delivering Kaduna to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027,” Baba-Pate said. “The party is growing stronger every day, and we are not losing sleep over El-Rufai’s decision.”
Senator Shehu Sani, a longtime critic of El-Rufai, predicted that the former governor would fade into political irrelevance. “Leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again,” he said.
While APC leaders downplayed the defection, SDP leader Prince Adewole Adebayo welcomed El-Rufai with open arms.
“With the hardworking and sagacious Mallam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity,” Adebayo said. “It’s time to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of poverty.”
Political observers are divided on the impact of El-Rufai’s move. Some believe his defection could energize the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections. Others see it as a reaction to his falling out with APC leadership.
Salihu Lukman, a former APC National Working Committee member, expressed concern that El-Rufai’s decision might disrupt ongoing talks for a united opposition coalition.
“I hope his decision is not going to break away from whatever we are doing,” Lukman said. “At the end, we should be able to reconcile and work together under one platform.”
El-Rufai’s move adds a new dimension to Nigeria’s 2027 political race. Both sides are standing their ground, setting the stage for an intense political battle in the years ahead.
