Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing dissatisfaction with the ruling party’s trajectory.
Daily News 24 reports that El-Rufai disclosed this through his Facebook page on Monday, stating that the APC no longer aligns with his values. “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 said.
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However, he lamented that in the last two years, those in control of the APC have shown no willingness to address what he described as the party’s “unhealthy situation.” According to him, he had raised concerns both privately and publicly but had now concluded that it was time to move on.
“At this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish,” he stated.
El-Rufai, who served as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023, highlighted his contributions to the APC’s electoral victories and his efforts in governance. “My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development in education and healthcare, as well as expand infrastructure, promote equality of opportunity, create jobs, and attract investments,” he said.
He expressed disappointment in the current state of the APC, stating that the party had “castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt.”
In his resignation letter, submitted to his ward in Kaduna, El-Rufai confirmed his switch to the SDP. “I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements and activities,” he declared.
He further called on opposition leaders and concerned Nigerians to rally under the SDP to challenge the APC in upcoming elections. “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.
El-Rufai urged his supporters to follow him into the SDP, emphasizing that the goal is to make Nigeria “flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race.”
