Former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, confirms he informed his godfather, Buhari, before leaving APC for SDP, citing the party’s deviation from its founding principles.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has confirmed that his decision to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was made with the full knowledge of his political godfather, former President Muhammadu Buhari. In a recent interview with the BBC Hausa service, El-Rufai revealed that he consulted Buhari before officially defecting to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a move that has generated significant political debate.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, cited the party’s deviation from its founding principles as the reason for his departure. According to him, the APC has abandoned its commitment to justice, fairness, and good governance, becoming a platform where personal interests take precedence.
“I left the APC with his full knowledge. I visited him on a Friday and informed him of my decision to leave the party because I involve and consult with him on all my matters,” El-Rufai stated.
Read also: We will not loose sleep over el-Rufai’s Defection”-APC Kaduna
The former governor also addressed speculations about his political alliances, clarifying that while he has people he consults, Buhari remains his foremost political mentor.
“I have those I consult with in everything I do. I inform them of anything I intend to do, and when they demand that I keep off, I do. My first godfather is Muhammadu Buhari. For the rest, I will not mention them because if I do, they’ll be pressured,” he said.
El-Rufai also spoke about his role in supporting President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections. While he does not regret backing Tinubu, he admitted to being taken aback by some of the president’s decisions since assuming office.
“I haven’t regretted it, but I have been taken by surprise. But why I don’t regret supporting him is that some Yoruba leaders from the South West had visited Kaduna and informed me that the Muslims of their region were being politically marginalized. That was the first reason I supported Tinubu,” he explained.
“The second reason is this: we agreed that the 2023 presidential seat would be zoned to the Southern part of Nigeria for fairness, balance, and justice in the country.”
However, El-Rufai insists that the APC is no longer the party it once was, lamenting its shift from the ideals that brought it to power in 2015. He criticized the party’s current structure, alleging that it is now dominated by personal interests rather than national progress.
“The APC abandoned the ideals that led to its formation. It has abandoned the people. Everyone is now pursuing personal interests and wealth. The government has become a business enterprise where everything has a price. There is no justice. Those who worked for the party are not recognized, let alone rewarded. Appointments are now controlled by a select group from Lagos. The party is dead,” he declared.
Background
El-Rufai played a crucial role in the formation of the APC, helping to unite opposition parties against the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2013. As a close ally of Buhari, he served as a key strategist in the campaigns that led to Buhari’s victory in 2015. He went on to serve two terms as the Governor of Kaduna State, leaving office in 2023.
Related: BREAKING! El-Rufai Resigns from APC, Joins SDP to Challenge Ruling Party
