Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has officially resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai announced his defection on Monday via a post on his verified Facebook page titled “NIGERIA UPDATE: Onwards to the Future.”
Reflecting on his role as a founding member of the APC, he expressed disappointment over the party’s current state, stating that it has strayed from its founding principles.
“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 wrote. “Developments in the last two years confirm that those who currently control and run the APC have no desire to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party.”
El-Rufai revealed that he had raised concerns both privately and publicly regarding what he described as the party’s “capricious trajectory.”
“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,” he stated.
The former governor criticized the APC for sidelining its founding principles, claiming the party has “castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt.”
Announcing his next political move, he said, “Today, 10th March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately… I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements.”
El-Rufai also signaled his intent to unite opposition forces against the ruling party.
“As a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us… to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027.”
He urged his supporters and Nigerians concerned about the country’s future to join him in the SDP, vowing to work towards making Nigeria a “beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race.”
