Ahead of 2027 presidential election, former Governor of Kaduna State and founding member of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has officially dump the ruling party to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The former FCT Minister who has been having a running battle with APC attributed his decision to a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC.
Rufai, who is believed to have presidential ambition was dropped from President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial list and had since been criticising the government. His romance with SDP started since last year.
In a press statement released today El-Rufai expressed his disappointment with the leadership of the APC, accusing the party of deviating from the progressive ideals established by its founders.
He said, “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 stated.
“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 added.
“My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development,” he said. “These records count for little in the current APC that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt in the last two years. I find this no longer acceptable.”
El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC is effective immediately and has been submitted to his ward in Kaduna State. He also announced his decision to join the SDP, describing it as the platform for his future political engagements.
The former Governor called on his supporters and other concerned Nigerians to join him in the SDP, emphasising the need for a unified democratic platform to challenge the ruling party in 2027
