FORMER governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai has announced his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party.
While giving his reasons for the development, El-rufai cited irreconcilable differences with the current leadership.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, disclosed this in a letter of resignation submitted on Monday to his ward in Kaduna State. He expressed his disillusionment with the party’s direction in recent years.
“I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform”, El-Rufai stated.
“However, developments in the last two years have confirmed a troubling disregard for democratic principles and progressive values that I hold dear.”
El-Rufai highlighted his role in securing electoral victories for the APC in 2015, 2019, and 2023, emphasizing his commitment to advancing human development, education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment in Kaduna State during his tenure as governor.
“At this point in my political journey, I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish,” El-Rufai asserted.
He expressed gratitude to his mentors, colleagues, and supporters for their counsel and announced his decision to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“As a member of the SDP, I am committed to fostering a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in upcoming elections,” El-Rufai declared.
He called upon all Nigerians concerned about the country’s future to join him in the SDP’s endeavour to elevate Nigeria as a beacon of pride for Africa and the Black Race.
El-Rufai concluded his announcement with a call for unity and progress, pledging to devote his efforts towards building a stronger democratic alternative in Nigeria.
Shortly after submitting his resignation, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja wrote on his Facebook page thus:
NIGERIA UPDATE: Onwards to the future
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 has 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.
Founders rightly feel attached towards 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.
As a loyal party man, I worked to help secure the APC’s election victories in 2015, 2019 and 2023. I was one of the many governors elected on the party’s platform in 2015 and 2019, who stood for certain democratic and progressive principles to advance nation-building. My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development in education and healthcare, as well as expand infrastructure, promote equality of opportunity, create jobs and attract investments. 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.
Today, 10th March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately. Prior to this step, I had concluded consultations with my mentors, colleagues and loyalists across the country about the future. I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and adopt it as the platform for our 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. 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.
Thank you and God Bless the Social Democratic Party.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, CON
Abuja, Nigeria
10th March 2025
The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria (SDP) is a centre-left political party. It was created alongside the National Republican Convention (NRC) by former military president Ibrahim Babangida as one of a two-party political structure – one slightly to the left and the other to the right – to midwife the Third Republic.
During the aborted Third Republic electioneering campaign it was seen as a moderate party attractive to young radical intellectuals and socialists. Its manifesto advocates for concerted efforts to improve welfare and fight for social justice.
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