“Our Values No Longer Align” – El-Rufai Confirms Exit from APC to Join SDP

Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, has officially resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), putting an end to months of speculation about his political future.

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had recently been spotted meeting with political figures, including Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, March 9, further fueling rumors about his next move.

In a statement confirming his decision, el-Rufai stated that the APC had given him no option but to seek an alternative platform.

“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 that of the APC will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics,” the statement reads.

“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.”

El-Rufai called on his supporters “and other persons concerned about our country’s future” to join him in the SDP.

“Today, 10th March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately,” he added.

“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.”

In January, el-Rufai met with Hamza Al-Mustapha, former aide to the late Sani Abacha; Shehu Gabam, national chairman of the SDP; and other politicians in Abuja. According to Segun Sowunmi, a former spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar campaign organization, the meeting was focused on strategizing for the 2027 elections.

El-Rufai who served as the governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, had previously expressed his dissatisfaction with the APC, stating in February that the rift between him and the party had “widened.” He also criticized its leadership for operating like a “one-man show” and failing to hold regular meetings.

Since the Senate refused to confirm his ministerial appointment, el-Rufai has been vocal in his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. In February, he rejected claims that the National Assembly was responsible for his rejection, instead accusing Tinubu of having a change of heart.