- El-Rufai attributed his decision to a growing disconnection between his personal values and the current direction of the APC
Former Kaduna State Governor and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has resigned his membership of the party.
In a statement released on Monday, March 10, 2025, the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister announced that he has left the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai attributed his decision to dump the ruling party to a growing disconnection between his personal values and the current direction of the APC.
He he said he is disappointed with the APC’s leadership, accusing the party of deviating from the progressive ideals of its founding members.
He revealed that he had voiced his grievances about the party’s trajectory both privately and publicly over the past two years but he was ignored as the current party leadership showed no willingness 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.
“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, 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.”
El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC, effective immediately, was submitted to his ward in Kaduna State. He also announced his decision to join the SDP, describing it as the platform for his future political engagements. He called on his supporters and other concerned Nigerians to join him in the SDP, emphasizing the need for a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC
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