El-Rufai Confirms Resignation from APC, Joins SDP For ‘Progressive Values’

Former Kaduna Governor Explains Political Shift on Social Media

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has reaffirmed his decision to resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing a need for a new platform to pursue his progressive values.

In a post on his 𝕏 account on Monday, El-Rufai confirmed his defection, explaining that his departure from the APC was based on irreconcilable differences with the party’s current leadership.

“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. I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP),” he wrote.

El-Rufai also shared further details of his decision in a Facebook post, outlining his disappointment with the APC’s trajectory in recent years and the party’s failure to uphold democratic principles.

Former Kaduna Governor El-Rufai Resigns from APC, Joins SDP

A Founder’s Disillusionment with APC

El-Rufai was a key founding member of the APC, instrumental in merging political parties to create the ruling party in 2013. However, he lamented that the core ideals that inspired the formation of the APC have been abandoned by its current leadership.

“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,” he stated.

However, he noted that over the last two years, the party had taken a troubling path, and efforts to raise concerns—both privately and publicly—were ignored.

“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.”

Why El-Rufai Chose SDP

El-Rufai described his move to the SDP as a necessary step to align his political aspirations with a platform that upholds the values he believes in.

“Founders rightly feel attached to institutions they helped create, but one must be pragmatic enough to admit when a divergence appears unbridgeable. I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform, but I recognize that the party has since strayed and left me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founding fathers and mothers.”

With his switch to the SDP, El-Rufai is expected to play a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of future elections. His departure from the APC could influence political alignments and reshape the dynamics within the opposition.