The immediately past governor of Kaduna State and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir El-Rufa has officially defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) announced his decision to dump the APC in a press statement issued on Monday, March 10, 2025, citing a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC.

El-Rufai, in the statement, expressed disappointment with the APC’s leadership, accusing the party of straying from the progressive ideals of its founding members.

He noted that over the past two years, he had raised concerns about the party’s trajectory both privately and publicly but found no willingness among the current leadership to address the issues.

He said, “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.

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“At this point in my political journey, I have concluded that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish.”

El-Rufai, who played a key role in the formation of the APC in 2013, recalled his efforts in negotiating the merger of political parties that led to the creation of the ruling party.

He also highlighted his contributions to the APC’s electoral successes in 2015, 2019, and 2023, as well as his tenure as Kaduna State governor, during which he implemented policies focused on education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment.

“My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development,” he said.

“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.”

El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC is effective immediately, with his letter submitted to his ward in Kaduna State.

He also announced his decision to join the SDP, describing it as the platform for his future political engagements.

The former governor called on his supporters and other concerned Nigerians to join him in the SDP, stressing the need for a unified democratic platform to challenge the ruling party in the upcoming elections.