…El-Rufai’s defecation to SDP won’t destabilise APC, says Kaduna chapter
…It’s time for good politics – SDP Chieftain
BY Caleb Ishaya, Abuja and Rahila Abdullahi, Kaduna
Amid reactions trialing the defection of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to opposition Social Democratic Party, SDP, the ex-governor’s son, Bashir El-Rufai, shortly after his father’s exit from APC yesterday hinted that 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, “… is coming” to join El-Rufai senior in the SDP.
Bashir, @BashirElRufai dropped the hint while responding to a post on X by a user, @Freedom42602077, who argued that the SDP would struggle to defeat the APC in the 2027 elections unless with the candidacy of Obi, a chieftain of LP and onetime Anambra State Governor.
The X user wrote “Bro to bro, if Peter Obi is not in that party, they can’t win presidential. APC will have it again!”
AljazirahNigeria reports that in a dramatic political shift, El-Rufai, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has announced his defection to the Social Democratic Party in a statement posted on his social media handle on March 10, cited a growing misalignment between his values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision to leave the ruling party.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna for eight years, expressed deep concerns over what he described as the “unhealthy situation” within the APC. In his message titled “Onwards to the Future”, El-Rufai lamented that the party, under its current leadership, had strayed far from the ideals it was founded upon, making it impossible for him to continue his association with the party.
He emphasised that, despite his contributions to the APC’s successes in 2015, 2019, and 2023, he could no longer accept the party’s trajectory.
“I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform, but I recognize that the party has since strayed”, El-Rufai stated, urging his supporters to join him in the SDP as a platform for future political engagement. He also called for unity among opposition leaders to challenge the APC in upcoming elections, particularly in 2027.
However, Kaduna State chapter of the APC responded to El-Rufai’s defection, asserting that the party will not be destabilised by his exit. Secretary of the Kaduna APC, Yahaya Baba-Pate, told journalists that the party remained focused on securing victories for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in the 2027 elections.
Baba-Pate, expressed confidence in the party’s growing influence, citing the influx of high-profile politicians joining the APC in the state. “We are not disturbed by former governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection to another party”, he said. “The APC in Kaduna State is growing stronger by the day. Our focus is on delivering the state to President Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027”.
The Kaduna APC leader’s comments suggest that while El-Rufai’s departure may be a significant loss, the party’s strategic goals remain firmly in place, with an eye on the upcoming presidential race.
Responding APC chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, said that President Bola Tinubu effectively owns the SDP.
Igbokwe, reacting to El-Rufai’s move, he warned those considering running for office under the SDP banner in 2027 to be mindful of Tinubu’s influence over the party.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Igbokwe, stated that the SDP, while historically associated with the late MKO Abiola, had been under Tinubu’s control since his tenure as a senator in 1993.
“If indeed SDP is still alive and kicking in Nigeria, then know the truth and have inner peace: PBAT ,President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the owner”, Igbokwe wrote. “Ignore him to your own peril”. He went on to further emphasize that anyone planning to use the SDP as a platform in the upcoming elections must reckon with Tinubu’s power.
Igbokwe’s comments suggest a potentially complex dynamic in the 2027 elections, with the SDP’s future and independence remaining uncertain amid claims of Tinubu’s dominance over the party.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai, has urged opposition members to join the Social Democratic Party in a bid to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 elections.
In a statement he personally signed while announcing his resignation from the APC
“Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and unite under a single democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027, by the Grace of God.
“I, therefore, call on all our supporters and concerned Nigerians to join us in the SDP as we work towards making Nigeria a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race”.
It would be recalled that before yesterday’s defection to the SDP, El-Rufai was in the news for embarking on political consultations, including visits to former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, cleric Pastor Tunde Bakare, and former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Giving rationale for his resignation from APC the former Minister of FCT, pointed out that “Founders naturally feel attached to institutions they helped build, but pragmatism demands recognition when differences become irreconcilable. I have diligently served the APC and contributed to its growth, but the party has since deviated, leaving me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founders.
“As a loyal party member, I worked to secure the APC’s victories in 2015, 2019, and 2023. My tenure as governor of Kaduna State focused on progressive policies in education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment promotion.
However, in the last two years, the APC has sidelined its structures and treated its members with contempt. This is no longer acceptable”.
