…Says why he defected to SDP.
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has resigned his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, citing “growing discord” between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision.
El-Rufai’s resignation letter has been submitted already to the leadership of the APC in his ward in Kaduna State.
The former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and has also instructed all his supporters and associates to join the SDP.
In a statement he released on Monday, 10 March, 2025, el-Rufai expressed disappointment with the APC’s leadership, accusing the party of “straying from the progressive ideals” of its founding members.
El-Rufai revealed that he had raised concern 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.
“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.
El-Rufai, who played a key role in the formation of the APC in 2013, recalled his efforts in negotiating the merger of political parties that led to the creation of the ruling party.
He also highlighted his contributions to the APC’s electoral successes in 2015, 2019, and 2023, as well as his tenure as Kaduna State Governor, during which he implemented policies focused on education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment.
“My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development,” 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.”