Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has officially resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ending months of speculation about his political future.
The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was recently seen meeting with political figures, including Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, March 9, sparking rumors about his next move. In a statement, el-Rufai explained that his decision to leave the APC was driven by the party’s failure to address ongoing issues.
“As a founding member of the APC, I have cherished the memories of helping to form the party in 2013, and it was my hope that our shared values would continue until my retirement from politics,” he said in the statement. “However, recent developments over the last two years have shown that the party’s leadership has no intention of acknowledging or addressing the issues within the party.”
El-Rufai went on to say that he had raised concerns both privately and publicly about the direction the APC was taking but had concluded that his values no longer aligned with those of the party. He acknowledged that as a founder, it was difficult to leave but emphasized the importance of being pragmatic when an irreconcilable divergence occurs.
The former governor called on his supporters and others who are concerned about the country’s future to join him in the SDP. “Today, March 10, 2025, I have officially submitted my resignation from the APC to my ward in Kaduna,” he added.
El-Rufai’s discontent with the APC has been clear in recent months, especially after the Senate rejected his nomination as a minister. He has since been outspoken in his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the leadership of the APC, accusing it of running like a “one-man show.”
In January, el-Rufai met with key political figures, including Hamza Al-Mustapha and Shehu Gabam, which some believe was part of a strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.