Former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has vowed that he would work to unite opposition leaders against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in future elections.
El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state from 2015 to 2023, has been critical of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly since the Senate refused to confirm him as minister. He said Nigerians should not believe the narrative that the National Assembly rejected him as a ministerial nominee, noting that Tinubu did not want him in his cabinet.
In a statement on his verified Facebook announcing his resignation from the APC, yesterday, el-Rufai claimed that the ruling party has derailed from its values.
“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.”
El-Rufai said he had repeatedly raised concerns about the party’s leadership but saw no effort to address them.
“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 congregate under a unified 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 other persons concerned about our country’s future to join us in the SDP in the journey towards making Nigeria flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race.”
Meanwhile, mixed reactions have trailed his defection. While former APC National vice chairman (North West), Dr. Salihu Lukman, described el-the defection as hasty, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, federal character commissioner from Oyo State and former commissioner for education, said the move is a political suicide.
In Kaduna, political observers have noted that his defection may have been hastened by the return of his arch political enemies to the APC. The former governor had been locked in political battles with the likes of Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, Shehu Sani and many others who were then card-carrying members of the APC. Hunkuyi, after a political fight with el-Rufai left APC for the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) while Shehu Sani left APC for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, less than 24 hours after Shehu, former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central, openly declared support for Governor Sani Uba’s reelection bid, el-Rufai officially announced his defection.
Sources said the return of Shehu Sani and other prominent politicians including Hunkuyi, Senator Danjuma Laah, former governor, Ramalan Yero and others to APC recently actually unsettled el-Rufai in the party.
Reacting via telephone call, Shehu Sani said: “el-Rufai leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again. But one thing is sure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu And Governor Uba Sani will be voted again.”
The National Coordinator of the Disciples of Jagaban (DOJ), Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, also boasted that the defection of the former governor was not a threat to APC’s victory in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement, Alawuje said: “It is evident that this move is nothing more than an empty threat that holds no real political weight. Thousands of politicians, more experienced and influential than el-Rufai, have already made their way back to the APC, recognising that the party remains the strongest force in Nigeria’s political arena.
“There is no political force strong enough to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Those who think otherwise are merely testing their political microphone at a low volume. The so-called coalition of expired politicians seeking relevance will not make any difference. Their efforts resemble a shameful dance to a drumbeat that no one will hear. If they insist on making noise, they will be the ones to dance to their own embarrassment.
“Since assuming office, President Tinubu has implemented bold and necessary reforms that his predecessors lacked the courage to enforce. If past Nigerian presidents had shown the same determination since 1999, Nigeria would today be competing with leading global economies. The reality is that they all recognized the urgent need for reforms but feared the temporary backlash that accompanies real change….
“The 2027 election is a done deal. It will expose and silence selfish politicians who prioritize personal ambitions over national unity. Ironically, many of these opposition figures were once governors, ministers, or vice presidents, yet they failed to uplift the masses they now claim to represent.
“When you leave a party and your entire political base celebrates your departure, it speaks volumes about your relevance. If your ward, local government, and state party members rejoice at your exit, then who exactly are you leading?
“The APC leadership must take note. It is time to stop rewarding unknown individuals while neglecting loyal party supporters who worked tirelessly during the campaign. Some of us remain 100 percent loyal to the party, but the leadership must ensure that dedicated members are recognised and empowered.
“The 2027 elections will only reaffirm what is already clear: Nigerians trust Tinubu’s leadership, and no amount of political scheming can change that”.
Lukman, political ally of el-Rufai and former National Working Committee (NWC) member of APC, expressed concern that the former governor’s defection could disrupt ongoing negotiations for a broader political coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Although he stated that el-Rufai’s defection had been anticipated, he, however, said that he should have exercised more patience to allow coalition talks to be finalised.
“It was expected. Even after the interview he granted on national television, you can see the handwriting on the wall.
But whether it is going to come so soon is something I couldn’t have said.
“My expectation was that he should have been a bit patient for us to work as a group based on the current negotiation that is ongoing.”
While acknowledging el-Rufai’s right to political association, the former APC chieftain warned that the timing of his defection might have unintended consequences for opposition realignments.
When asked if he would be joining the former governor in SDP, the former Director-General of Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), said that could only happen if the party met the conditions set for it.
“At the moment, they are yet to meet the conditions.We are in discussion, no doubt about it. If they meet the conditions tomorrow, fine,” he said.
On the planned coalition, Lukman said negotiations were still ongoing.
“I think the discussion about whether SDP will be there or not has been an ongoing thing.
“The challenge is the question of whether SDP will submit itself to some of the conditions that we believe are necessary,” he said.
According to him, while most conventional politicians just need a platform to achieve political power, there are a few politicians, including himself, who believe the issue is beyond that.
“What Nigerians need is a platform that will promote political competition in the country. If you remember, the problem Nigerians had with PDP is the problem of imposition of candidates,” he said.
In a statement, Olowofela noted that el-Rufai’s political journey has been characterised by restlessness and courage. However, he argued that the former governor should have exercised patience, drawing parallels with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strategic political maneuvers.
According to Olowofela, Tinubu successfully built political alternatives to challenge the dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leading to the eventual formation of APC, which ended the PDP’s extended rule. He warned that abandoning APC at this juncture could be detrimental to el-Rufai’s political future.
“For El-Rufai to abandon APC is a political suicide because Tinubu will win his second term with an array of seen and unseen political foot soldiers.”
Olowofela added that SDP, as a political party, has lost relevance since the era of Chief Moshood Abiola, and any attempt to revive it would be futile. He speculated that if a southern politician were to emerge victorious in 2027, power dynamics would likely shift, reducing the chances of a northern politician like El-Rufai returning to power in 2031.
Olowofela also referenced historical political events, drawing comparisons to Ebenezer Babatope’s participation in the Abacha regime. He suggested that El-Rufai’s defection could have long-term repercussions similar to Babatope’s experience.
But the SDP presidential candidate in 2023, Adewole Adebayo, while reacting on his X handle, described the former governor as a hardworking and sagacious person.
“On behalf of the teeming members of SDP and patriotic democrats who believe in Nigeria and her promise of inevitable greatness, I heartily welcome my dear brother, el-Rufai to our party.
“With the hardworking and sagacious Malam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity.
“Now is the time for us to put our collective shoulders behind the efforts to fulfill chapter 2 of the constitution and rescue Nigerians from bad governance and underdevelopment,” he said.
According to him, all genuine democrats and true nationalists who believe in order, decency and honesty are welcome to the SDP.
Adebayo described SDP as a party governed by law, not men, constitution, not constipation of money or personal ambition.
“Together, following the law, the constitution and manifesto of our party, we can set a good example of clean and ethical politics to emulate and rally Nigeria to the forefront of the liberation of Africa and peoples of the Black World.
“Good politics begets good governance. Let no one sit on the fence any further. There is no time to waste. Join us on the March Again!” the former presidential candidate said.
