- Reinforces dialogue about coalition ahead 2027 polls
- Your ambition destined to fail — Bwala knocks former governor
- Fayemi denies dumping APC
In a move seen as a strategic realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, a former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has left the ruling All Progressives Congress and joined the Social Democratic Party.
The former Governor has also urged opposition members to join the SDP in a bid to unseat the APC in the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai made this known in a statement he personally signed on Monday while announcing his resignation from the APC.
“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 unite under a single democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027, by the Grace of God.
“I, therefore, call on all our supporters and concerned Nigerians to join us in the SDP as we work towards making Nigeria a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race,” he said.
El-Rufai’s decision follows a series of political consultations, including visits to former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, cleric Pastor Tunde Bakare, and former President Muhammadu Buhari.
These meetings have fueled speculation about his political future and possible strategic alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
In his statement, El-Rufai acknowledged his long-standing contributions to the APC but expressed disappointment with the party’s current direction.
“Founders naturally feel attached to institutions they helped build, but pragmatism demands recognition when differences become irreconcilable. I have diligently served the APC and contributed to its growth, but the party has since deviated, leaving me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founders.
“As a loyal party member, I worked to secure the APC’s victories in 2015, 2019, and 2023. My tenure as governor of Kaduna State focused on progressive policies in education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment promotion. However, in the last two years, the APC has sidelined its structures and treated its members with contempt. This is no longer acceptable,” he added.
El-Rufai confirmed that he had officially resigned from the APC, effective immediately, after consulting his mentors, colleagues, and political loyalists across the country.
“Today, March 10, 2025, I submitted my resignation letter to my ward in Kaduna. Moving forward, I have decided to adopt the SDP as my platform for political engagement and activities.”
El-Rufai’s defection to the SDP has strengthened the conversation about the proposed coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Your ambition destined to fail — Bwala knocks former governor
Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has described Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s defection to the SDP as an inordinate ambition destined to fail.
Bwala acknowledged El-Rufai’s right to association. He added, however, that the motive of his defection would be interrogated in the coming days.
In a tweet on Monday, Bwala said the former Governor of Kaduna State would be reminded that associating with “sore losers to unseat” President Bola Tinubu is neither an ideology nor progressivism.
“We would intellectually remind you that associating with sore losers to unseat the incumbent is not an IDEOLOGY, neither is it PROGRESSIVISM; It is simply an inordinate AMBITION that is destined to fail.”
We’re not disturbed by El-Rufai’s defection to SDP – Kaduna APC
Also, the Kaduna State chapter of the APC has said it will not lose sleep over the defection of El-Rufai to the SDP.
Reacting to the defection, the Secretary of the Kaduna APC, Yahaya Baba-Pate, said the party remained unperturbed by the defection of the former governor.
Baba-Pate said the party was focused on delivering the state to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
Baba-Pate, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna on Monday, expressed confidence in the party’s growing strength in the state, citing the influx of high-profile politicians joining the party daily in the state.
He expressed confidence that the party’s fortunes will not be affected by El-Rufai’s departure.
He said, “We are unperturbed by former governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection to another party. Our main focus in Kaduna is on how to deliver the state to both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
“The APC in Kaduna State is growing day by day, judging from the calibre of politicians streaming into the party on a daily basis. So, we are not disturbed by anybody defecting to another party based on our governor’s inclusive governance in the state.
“We are not disturbed and we are not going to lose our sleep over El-rufai’s moves. The party in the state is growing more than before.”
El-Rufai has no political relevance – Shehu Sani
In the same vein, civil rights activist and ex-lawmaker in the defunct 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has said the political relevance and fortune of El-Rufai has eclipsed with the declaration of his membership of the SDP.
Sani, in a reaction to El-Rufai’s decision to dump the APC for SDP, said on Monday that “leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again.”
He, however, said “one thing is sure, President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani will be voted again” in 2027.
“El-Rufai out of alleged fears of the unknown, officially dumped the All Progressives Congress for the Social Democratic Party.
“Information gathered revealed that the return of Shehu Sani and other prominent politicians in the State such as Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; Senator Danjuma Laah, Former Governor Ramalan Yero, and others to APC recently unsettled the El-Rufai.”, Sani said.
Shehu Sani had said his major political interest in 2027 is to see Sani reelected as Kaduna State governor, saying El-Rufai was unwilling to face the heat.
El-Rufai’s defection too early, says Salihu Lukman
However, a former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the APC, Salihu Lukman, on Monday, bemoaned the defection of El-Rufai to the SDP.
Lukman said the defection was too premature and wasn’t the kind of collective move they earlier projected.
The former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum disclosed this in an interview with some selected journalists in Abuja.
He said, “Yes, I am close to Mallam El-Rufai to the extent that we come from the same state and were in the same party. And I had the privilege of being nominated by him to serve on the National Working Committee of APC. Of course, as everybody knows, we have our own disagreements.
“It (defection) is expected even after the interview he granted on Arise TV. You can see the handwriting. But my expectation was that he should have been a bit patient for us to walk out as a group based on the ongoing negotiation.
“But he knows better, and I do hope his decision is not going to become like a kind of breakaway from whatever we are doing. My hope is that at the end, we should be able to reconcile and work together under one platform.”
When asked if his camp and some key northern elites would join El-Rufai in the SDP, Lukman expressed reservations about the leadership of the opposition party.
The former APC chieftain, however, noted that they may be willing to take the bait if certain conditions are met.
He stated, “The challenge is whether SDP will submit itself to some of the conditions that we believe are necessary. Frankly speaking, unlike most conventional politicians, most conventional politicians who just want a platform where they will present candidates and use it to win elections, there are a few of us who believe the issue is beyond that.
“What Nigerians need is a platform that will promote political competition in the country. If you remember, the challenge Nigerians had with the PDP was the problem of imposition of candidates. But when the APC came and promised ‘change’, the expectation was that we would change the culture of imposition.
“Unfortunately, we have failed in that. In fact, it has become worse. If things continue as they are, you can predict that President Tinubu will become the candidate of the APC, and you can predict all the first-time governors of the APC will emerge as the candidate of the APC, whether they are popular in their states or not.
“You can also predict all legislators at federal and state levels, whether they have performed or not. So long as they are in the good books of Asiwaju and the party leadership, they will be returned. So, we may move if the SDP meets the conditions I have highlighted. We are in discussion, no doubt about it. If they meet it tomorrow, fine.”
No time to waste, Adebayo welcomes El-Rufai to SDP
The Presidential candidate of the SDP in 2023, Adewole Adebayo, has welcomed El-Rufai to the party.
Taking to X on Monday, Adebayo expressed his excitement, stating that El-Rufai’s entry strengthens the party’s mission to rescue Nigeria from years of poor governance and economic decline.
“On behalf of the teeming members of the @TheSDPNg and patriotic democrats who believe in Nigeria and her promise of inevitable greatness, I heartily welcome my dear brother @elrufai to our party.
“With the hardworking and sagacious Mallam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity,” Adebayo wrote.
He underscored the party’s commitment to fulfilling Chapter 2 of Nigeria’s Constitution, which addresses fundamental human rights, social justice and economic development.
Adebayo urged like-minded democrats and nationalists to join the SDP’s movement for national restoration.
“Good politics begets good governance. Let no one sit on the fence any further. There is no time to waste. Join us on the March Again! God bless Nigeria,” he added.
Fayemi denies dumping APC
In the same vein, a former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has dismissed reports suggesting he has defected from the APC.
Speculation swirled on social media after reports listed Fayemi among APC stakeholders planning to exit the party over unresolved internal conflicts.
The rumours gained momentum following the defection of El-Rufai, to the SDP on Monday.
However, in a post via his X handle, Fayemi debunked the claims, asserting that he remains a committed APC member.
“My attention has been drawn to a story circulating on several online platforms regarding my defection from the All Progressives Congress.
“As I have had cause to state in the past, I am a card-carrying foundation member of the APC, and this position has not changed,” he wrote.
While acknowledging his recent advocacy for greater internal democracy and inclusivity within the ruling party, Fayemi maintained that the APC still has time to resolve its internal disputes.
“I believe it is still not too late for our party to change course and move towards greater inclusion and internal democracy,” he added.
