Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that he sought the approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari before leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He made this known during an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, which was monitored in Kaduna.
El-Rufai explained that he always consults Buhari before making major decisions. He criticized the APC, stating that the party has strayed from its founding principles. According to him, the party has become self-serving, with members prioritizing personal gain over the party’s original goals. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of justice and recognition for those who contributed to the party’s success, claiming that appointments and opportunities were often given to individuals from specific regions, such as Lagos.
He said, “The APC has derailed. The party is no longer abiding by its founding principles. Everyone is working for themselves, chasing money. The government has become commercialized, with everything having a price tag. Justice has been ignored, and those who worked for the party were sidelined instead of being rewarded. If there’s any position or appointment, they give it to a ‘Lagos boy,’ and so on. That’s why we’ve been speaking out. We said this is not the party we knew. The party is dead.”
El-Rufai added that he informed Pastor Tunde Bakare, who initially brought him into the APC, about his decision to leave. He also sought Buhari’s blessings, which were granted. He stated, “I told Buhari I was leaving the party and sought his blessings and prayers. He gave me his blessings and prayers. We are the ones in politics now; he is the father of the nation and has been praying for us. So, what else is left? I’ve publicly denounced my membership of the party. They can hold on to it and ‘eat’ it like food. We’ve given up.”
When asked if he left the APC to avoid being expelled, El-Rufai responded that being expelled would have been easier for him. He claimed that the party had marginalized him, excluding him from key activities and failing to implement the plans they had initially set out to achieve. He said, “I did not leave the party; the party left me. Why did it leave me? First, I was marginalized and not involved in party activities. I wasn’t invited and refused to attend; I was completely sidelined. Secondly, what we planned to implement when we formed the government is not what’s being done now.”
Addressing rumors that he left the APC because he was not considered for a ministerial appointment, El-Rufai dismissed the claim, stating that he never sought the position. He revealed that former President Buhari had personally asked him to help address Nigeria’s power problems, which influenced his decision to accept the role. He said, “Did I even look for the ministerial position? I know those who paid money to be appointed as ministers. I attended the screening because the President begged me. It was in public, not a private conversation. He begged me in Kaduna to come and work with him. I didn’t agree immediately, but after discussing his goals, especially resolving the power issue, I considered it. I thought he was serious.”
El-Rufai’s departure from the APC and his criticisms highlight the internal challenges facing the party, as well as his dissatisfaction with its current direction.
