Former Kaduna State Governor and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir El-Rufai, has officially resigned from the ruling party and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai made the announcement on Monday through a post on his verified Facebook page, stating that he had submitted his resignation letter to his ward in Kaduna after extensive consultations with his mentors, colleagues, and loyalists.
Reflecting on his time with the APC, the former governor expressed disappointment over the party’s current trajectory, accusing its leadership of disregarding internal concerns and stifling its democratic structures.
“As a founding member of the 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 would continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics,” El-Rufai stated.
However, he lamented that recent developments within the party have proven otherwise.
“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.
El-Rufai, who played a significant role in securing APC’s electoral 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.”
With his defection to the SDP, the former governor revealed plans to unite opposition forces 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,” he declared.
He also called on his supporters and other concerned Nigerians to join the SDP in shaping a better future for the country.
“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,” El-Rufai added.
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