Former Kaduna State Governor and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has resigned from the ruling party, citing concerns over its current trajectory.
Announcing his decision in a press release on Monday, El-Rufai said he had formally submitted his resignation to his ward in Kaduna and would now be joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to continue his political journey.
El-Rufai, who played a key role in the formation of the APC in 2013, expressed disappointment that the party had deviated from its founding principles, stating,
“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 revealed that his decision followed extensive consultations with political allies, adding,
“I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements and activities.”
El-Rufai, who served as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023, highlighted his contributions to APC’s electoral victories and governance but lamented that the party had sidelined its members in recent years. 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.”
Declaring his commitment to opposition unity, El-Rufai called on other political leaders and Nigerians to rally under a common platform to challenge the APC in future elections.
“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,” he said.
