BREAKING: El-Rufai Resigns From APC, Joins SDP

The immediate-past Governor of Kaduna State and one of the founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has officially resigned from the party and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In a statement issued on Monday announcing his defection, El-Rufai stated that developments within the APC over the past two years confirmed that those currently in charge of the party were unwilling to address what he described as the unhealthy situation within the APC.

El-Rufai, who also served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), explained that he had raised concerns both privately and publicly about the direction the APC was taking. After careful consideration, he concluded that it was time for him to seek another political platform that aligned with the progressive values he holds dear.

“I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately,” El-Rufai said. He added that before making this decision, he had consulted with mentors, colleagues, and loyalists across the country about his political future. He has now chosen to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), adopting it as the platform for his future political activities.

The former governor stated that as an SDP member, he would work toward uniting opposition leaders and parties to form a unified democratic platform aimed at challenging the APC in all elections and bye-elections up to the 2027 presidential election.

El-Rufai’s statement further read: “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 would continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics. However, 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 or address the unhealthy situation of the party.”

He went on to state that while he had made significant contributions to the APC’s success, including playing a key role in securing electoral victories for the party in 2015, 2019, and 2023, the party had since strayed from the vision of its founding members.

“In my eight years as Governor of Kaduna State, I implemented progressive policies that advanced human development, improved education and healthcare, expanded infrastructure, promoted equality of opportunity, created jobs, and attracted investments. However, in the current APC, these accomplishments are overshadowed by a party that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt over the past two years,” he said.

El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC comes as he continues to advocate for a shift toward a more progressive, unified platform. He called on supporters and all Nigerians concerned about the future of the country to join him in the SDP and work toward making Nigeria a proud beacon for the African continent and the global Black community.

The full statement concluded: “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.”