A former Governor of Kaduna State and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir El-Rufai, has offered reasons why he dumped the ruling party and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai, who has been very critical of the APC in the last few weeks, stated the reasons for his decision.
The former governor said he had submitted his resignation letter from the APC to his Ward in Kaduna State and had concluded consultations with his mentors, colleagues, and loyalists before making the decision.
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“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.
On why he dumped the APC, El-Rufai accused the party’s leadership of ignoring internal concerns and stifling its democratic structures.
“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 said.
The prominent politician, who played a key role in the APC’s victories in 2015, 2019, and 2023, said he could no longer remain in a party that has “castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt.”
On the reason for his choice of party, he said as a member of the SDP, he would work to unite opposition parties to challenge the APC in future elections, including 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 said.
He added: “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.”
