A former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai made the announcement in a statement on Monday, expressing his dissatisfaction with the APC’s leadership style.
El-Rufai claimed that after voicing his concerns in public and privately about the party’s capricious trajectory in recent years, he has decided to look for another political platform to pursue progressive values.
“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,” he said.
“It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and those of the APC will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics.
“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.
“On my part, I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the capricious trajectory of the party. Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish.”
El-Rufai also stated that, following discussions with his mentors, colleagues, and supporters nationwide regarding his future, he had written to his ward in the Kaduna North Local Government Area of the North-West state to resign his membership in the APC, effective immediately.
He then declared that he has now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and adopt it as the platform for his future political engagements and activities.
“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.” the former governor added.
