Nasir El-Rufai, a former Governor of Kaduna State and one of the founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has explained why he left the ruling party and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai, who has been outspoken against the APC in recent weeks, outlined his reasons in a post on his verified Facebook page on Monday.
The ex-governor shared that he had already submitted his resignation letter from the APC to his Ward in Kaduna State and had completed consultations with his mentors, colleagues, and loyalists before making his decision.
“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and that of the APC will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics,” he stated.
El-Rufai criticized the APC leadership for ignoring internal concerns and suppressing the party’s democratic structures. He added that recent events made it clear that those currently in charge of the party were unwilling to acknowledge and address the “unhealthy situation” within the APC.
A key figure in the APC’s successes in 2015, 2019, and 2023, El-Rufai explained that he could no longer remain in a party that had “castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt.”
Regarding his decision to join the SDP, El-Rufai expressed his intent to work on uniting opposition parties to challenge the APC in future elections, particularly the 2027 general election.
“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,” El-Rufai remarked.
He further urged his supporters and anyone concerned about Nigeria’s future to join the SDP in their collective effort to make Nigeria a “beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race.”