Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has officially resigned from Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing disillusionment with the party’s leadership and direction. His resignation letter has already been submitted to the APC leadership in his ward in Kaduna State.
Reasons for Defection
In a statement dated March 10, 2025, El-Rufai criticized the APC for abandoning the progressive principles upon which it was founded. He accused the party’s leadership of ignoring internal concerns and sidelining dedicated members.
“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 stated.
El-Rufai, a key architect of the 2013 opposition merger that birthed the APC, lamented that the party had lost its original vision. Despite playing a pivotal role in APC’s electoral victories in 2015, 2019, and 2023, he claimed that his contributions now meant little in a party that had “castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt.”
Fallout with Tinubu
El-Rufai’s resignation follows rising tensions between him and the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration. In a recent interview, he denied rumors that the National Assembly rejected his ministerial nomination, insisting that it was Tinubu who personally blocked his appointment despite initially urging him to join the government.
“The President did not want me in his cabinet… After two months of negotiations, we finally agreed on my nomination, but along the line, either the President changed his mind or something else,” he revealed.
Although he denied holding a personal grudge against Tinubu, he warned that unresolved issues within the APC could trigger deeper internal crises.
Political Implications
El-Rufai’s defection to the SDP is expected to shake up Nigeria’s political landscape, especially in northern Nigeria, where he wields significant influence. His move could signal the beginning of a realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, with many of his allies and supporters likely to follow suit.
This development raises fresh questions about APC’s stability and its ability to retain key figures ahead of future elections.