* Meets Aregbesola, Atiku, Others
Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor has dumped the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai disclosed this in a press statement released on Monday, March 10, 2025.
The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), cited a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision.
He expressed his disappointment with the APC’s leadership, accusing the party of straying from the progressive ideals of its founding members.
The former Governor noted that he had raised concerns about the party’s trajectory both privately and publicly over the past two years but found no willingness among the current leadership to address the issues.
The statement reads, “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.”
* Meets Aregbesola, Atiku, Others
Before his official joining of SDP on Monday, speculations were high that the former Kaduna State Governor had completed arrangements to defect from APC, and this was reinforced by his visits to some political heavyweights also in opposition or had left the ruling paety.
This was after meeting former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other political opponents of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a post via X on Sunday, Atiku disclosed that he met with El-Rufai alongside former Adamawa state governor, Jibrilla Bindow.
“After tonight’s Itfar (breaking of fast), I received in audience, former Governor of Kaduna State, @elrufai, former Governor of Adamawa, Jibrilla Bindow and Musa Halilu, Dujima Adamawa. Our robust discussions were the dessert of the meal,” he wrote.
Before his visit to Atiku, the former Kaduna governor had visited Aregbesola and Bakare in Lagos.
Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai’s media adviser, revealed this on X.
“Malam Nasir @elrufai was in Lagos today to visit Ogbeni @raufaregbesola and Pastor Tunde Bakare,” Adekeye tweeted.
While El-Rufai’s discussion with the two politicians was not revealed, it is believed that the visits were part of his political scheming ahead of the 2027 general elections.
El-Rufai has in recent times been very critical of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu.
The Kaduna politician blamed Tinubu for his rejection by the National Assembly during ministerial screening.
Aregbesola, a former ally of Tinubu, recently dumped the APC alongside his supporters in Osun State.
Bakare lost the APC presidential ticket to Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential poll and he has also been critical of the government of the day.
El-Rufai’s meeting with both men is coming days after visiting former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna.
The former Kaduna governor’s visit to Lagos has fuelled fresh conversations about his political future and possible strategic alliances with Aocial Democratic Parry and other ahead political like minds for the 2027 elections.
The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory was recently in the news when he granted an interview on Arise Television, where he accused Tinubu of deliberately dropping him from his list of ministerial nominees.
He also slammed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for undermining the North over his alleged 2031 presidential ambition.
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In the interview, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory hinted at leaving the ruling APC, saying the party had already abandoned him.
When asked if he would be supporting the President’s re-election bid in 2027, the Kaduna politician dodged the question, saying he wasn’t even certain if he would still be in the APC by then.
Reports indicate that before now, some of his key allies have already joined the SDP, confirming possible realignment with the opposition party.
On Monday morning, one of El-Rufai’s son, Bashir post the logo of SDP putting some credibility to the immiment defection of his father from APC
With his public declaration and formal joining of SDP, some political analysts say political fireworks for 2027 electrons may have begun.
This is even as some governors in the North , under the ruling APC and Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu have become touring of some states in that region campaigning for the second term of the president.
