Politics
El-Rufai: Mass defection from APC Looming
More high-profile politicians have concluded plans to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Musa Gabam, gave this hint on Monday in a chat with Trust TV while reacting to El-Rufai’s defection.
Gabam stated that El-Rufai’s move had triggered a wave of defections from Kaduna State, with more prominent figures from the ruling APC and other parties, as well as across backgrounds expected to follow suit.
While declining to reveal specific names, sources within the party suggest that former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola might also defect to the SDP.
El-Rufai had visited Aregbesola and a prominent cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare, in Lagos on Sunday. He had also met with former President Muhammadu Buhari and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar in recent days. These meetings have fuelled speculations that El-Rufai’s defection marks the beginning of broader political realignments.
However, Fayemi, in a statement yesterday, dismissed reports of his planned defection.
“My attention has been drawn to a story circulating on several online platforms regarding my defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC). As I have had cause to state in the past, I am a card-carrying foundation member of the APC, and this position has not changed,” he said.
He added, “While I have been at the vanguard of the demand for greater internal democracy and inclusion in the ruling party, I believe it is still not late for our party to change course and move towards greater inclusion and internal democracy.”
Meanwhile, Gabam reiterated that the ongoing defections to the SDP are part of a broader political shift aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and ensuring governance benefits reach the people.
Political observers have linked El-Rufai’s move to presidential ambitions, but Gabam insisted the SDP’s structure prioritises grassroots participation.
“The party’s philosophy is entrenched in grassroots democratic participation and aligns with the politics of endorsement. Every potential aspirant must go through the process from the grassroots level to prevent imposition,” he said.
He also dismissed suggestions of a merger with other parties, stating, “The SDP is not in alignment with the proponents of a merger of political parties. It is a recipe for chaos.”
Announcing his resignation from the APC in a statement on Monday titled “Onwards to the Future,” El-Rufai accused the party leadership of failing to address internal challenges.
“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 those of the APC will 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,” he said.
He continued: “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 recognise that the party has since strayed and left me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founding fathers and mothers.”
El-Rufai further stated: “Today, the 10th of March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately.
“Subsequent to this, I had concluded consultations with my mentors, colleagues, and loyalists alike about the future, and have decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements and activities.”
He vowed to engage other opposition leaders to form a united front against the APC in upcoming elections, urging his supporters to join him in the SDP.
Ex-commissioners quit APC amid defection wave
Shortly after El-Rufai’s announcement, two of his former commissioners in Kaduna State—Hafsat Mohammed Baba, ex-commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, and Jafaru Sani, former commissioner for Education and Local Government Affairs—resigned from the APC.
Their resignation letters cited various reasons for leaving the party, but they have yet to indicate their next political move. However, sources speculate they will likely join El-Rufai in the SDP.
The APC was yet to react to El-Rufai’s defection and the reasons he cited as of the time of filing this report. Efforts to get a response from the party’s spokesman, Felix Morka, were unsuccessful.
However, Shehu Sani, in a reaction to the defection, said “leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again.”
He, however, said “one thing is sure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu And Governor Uba Sani will be voted again” in 2027.
“Elrufai out of alleged fears of the unknown, officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP),” Sani said.
He also claimed that his return and those of other prominent politicians in the State such as Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; Senator Danjuma Laah, Former Governor Ramalan Yero, and others to APC unsettled Elrufai.
Meanwhile, Prince Adewole Adebayo, the SDP’s presidential candidate in the last election, welcomed El-Rufai’s defection.
“With the hardworking and sagacious Malam joining our ranks; an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity.
“Now is the time for us to put our collective shoulders behind the efforts to fulfil Chapter 2 of the Constitution and rescue Nigerians from bad governance and underdevelopment to restore #HopeAgain 2027 to the suffering masses,” he said.
Similarly, SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba, said El-Rufai’s defection signals an influx of more high-profile politicians into the party.
Daily Trust
A former National Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hajiya Maria Waziri, has left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State.
Waziri made her decision public on Monday at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, where she arrived with a group of her supporters to formally register with the APC.
She was received by the state governor, Nasir Idris, who praised her move and described it as coming at the right time for the party and the state.
The governor assured Waziri and those who came with her that they would be fully accepted into the APC without discrimination.
Idris said the ruling party remained open to all politicians who were ready to contribute to the development of Kebbi State.
He added that his administration would continue to focus on projects and policies that improve the lives of residents, regardless of their political background.
The governor also spoke about his personal relationship with Waziri, noting that he was familiar with her experience and political strength and believed she would add value to the party and the state.
The APC chairman in Kebbi State, Abubakar Kana-Zuru, also welcomed the former PDP leader and her supporters.
He assured them that they would enjoy equal rights and opportunities within the party, just like other members.
Kana-Zuru pointed to the achievements of the current administration in the state and said Waziri’s decision to join the APC showed confidence in the direction of the government.
Speaking on her decision, Waziri explained that her move was influenced by the performance of the APC-led government in Kebbi State and at the national level. She noted that this was her first time changing political parties in about 20 years.
She said she had spent most of her political life in opposition and chose to remain there until now, but recent developments in governance convinced her to take a new path.
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have said the candidacy of former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in the 2027 governorship election will make the party’s electoral victory seamless in the state.
The party members made this declaration during the South-South APC Lagos State Women Forum PVC Sensitisation Exercise and APC e-Registration Mobilisation held in Ikorodu area of the state that was propelled by the Tinubu – Ambode Support Group.
The party faithful, women leaders, and grassroots mobilizers had gathered at the event to strengthen the party’s base and encourage wider political participation.
In her address at the event, group women leader, Mrs. Justina Osara, emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Governor Ambode remained symbols of purposeful leadership, visionary governance, and people-oriented administration.
Osara noted that Ambode’s track record in office speaks volumes, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, public service reforms, and inclusive governance.
According to her, Ambode’s re-emergence on the political stage would bring renewed confidence, unity, and strategic direction to APC, especially at the grassroots level where his policies and projects positively impacted ordinary citizens.
She commended women leaders from the South-South community for their commitment to democratic participation through PVC sensitisation and active involvement in the APC e-registration process, describing them as the backbone of grassroots mobilisation and a critical force in shaping electoral success.
Speakers at the event described former Governor Ambode as a leader who listens, delivers, and prioritizes the welfare of the people, and further described him as a bridge-builder, a technocrat with a human face, and a dependable political asset whose leadership style aligns with the aspirations of party members and the general populace.
They concluded by assuring APC members that with renewed mobilisation, unity, and the strategic inclusion of experienced leaders like Ambode, the party stands on a stronger footing to achieve greater electoral victories and deliver more dividends of democracy to the people of Lagos State and beyond.
They urged all members, especially women and youth, to continue participating actively in PVC registration, party e-registration, and grassroots mobilisation, stressing that collective effort was key to securing a more prosperous future for the APC.
The Kwankwaso Support Group 2027 has proposed a joint presidential ticket pairing former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, with Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso.
Speaking in Kano on Friday, the leader of the group, Abba Gwale, stated that as loyal supporters of Senator Kwankwaso, they found it necessary to appeal to Nigerians to support the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance, describing it as a chance to rescue the nation from its current challenges.
‘As Kwankwaso supporters and loyalists, we have proposed and thrown our weight behind the joint presidential ticket, especially with Peter Obi, in any of the political parties. The current political trajectory has shown where the tide is shifting.
‘If the duo gets a mandate in the upcoming election, Nigeria will be a better place. For real, we’re tired of insecurity, hunger, and starvation.
‘We want a political alliance to bring together Obi’s strong support base in the South and Kwankwaso’s formidable support in the North, creating a powerful coalition that could potentially shake up the political landscape. With this partnership, the duo is poised to give the ruling party a run for their money.
‘At the heart of this alliance is a shared ambition to wrestle power from the ruling APC and bring about meaningful change to Nigeria. Both Obi and Kwankwaso have consistently emphasised their commitment to assisting the common man in Nigeria, and their partnership is seen as a key step towards achieving this goal’, he said.
Gwale, who hails from the same constituency as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, further explained that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket is banking on a wave of popular discontent with the current administration, adding that their message of hope and change is resonating with many Nigerians. He added that with their combined strength, they are emerging as a formidable challenger to the ruling party.
‘As 2027 approaches, all eyes are on the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance to see how they will capitalise on this momentum and translate it into votes. One thing is certain — the duo is determined to shake things up and bring about a new era of politics in Nigeria’, Gwale added.
On Kwankwaso’s alleged demands for a significant number of positions from the ruling APC as part of joining the party, Gwale noted that if there were anything like that, it should be seen as outrageous, given the calibre of the former governor.
According to him, Kwankwaso has presented the best demands that can cater to the needs of his supporters and party members across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
‘Supporters of Kwankwaso cut across every divide, especially among ordinary Nigerians who are living from hand to mouth’, Gwale added.
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