News
Nasir El-Rufai Leaves APC for SDP, Vows to Unite Opposition Against APC
Former Kaduna State Governor and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir El-Rufai, has announced his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Citing the leadership’s failure to address internal concerns and stifling democratic structures.
El-Rufai revealed his decision to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in a post on his verified Facebook page on Monday. He said he had submitted his resignation letter from the APC to his ward in Kaduna and had concluded consultations with his mentors, colleagues, and loyalists before making the decision.
“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (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 will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics,” El-Rufai stated.
He accused the APC leadership of ignoring internal concerns and stifling its democratic structures, saying, “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, who played a key role in the APC’s victories in 2015, 2019, and 2023, declared, “I could no longer remain in a party that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt.”
He expressed his commitment to uniting opposition parties 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,” El-Rufai said.
He concluded by calling on supporters and concerned citizens to join the SDP, saying, “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.”
