The Presidency has described the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai’s switch to the SDP as a flawed move if he intended to unseat the governing party.
The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, stated that while El-Rufai has the constitutional right to change parties, his motives will be closely examined in the coming days.
Bwala, in a post on his verified X handle, @DanielBwala, downplayed El-Rufai’s political significance in politics, arguing that his relevance was neither sudden nor extraordinary.
He criticised the former governor’s decision to side with opposition figures, saying that attempting to unseat the incumbent government was not necessarily an ideological change.
Bwala wrote, “Senior, @elrufai, I read the news today that you resigned from APC to join SDP. Well, I have nothing against you because you exercised your constitutional right.
“However, the motive is what we would interrogate in the coming days and remind Nigerians that you are not a phenomenon that emerges like a clap of thunder out of a blue sky.
“We would intellectually remind you that associating with sore losers to unseat the incumbent is not an ideology, neither is it progressivism; It is simply an inordinate ambition that is destined to fail.”
In its reaction, the Kaduna APC said it was not worried by El-Rufai’s exit from the party, describing it as political gyration.
Speaking to journalists in Kaduna on Monday, the Kaduna APC Secretary, Yahaya Baba-Pate, said the party remained focused on securing the state for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
Pate expressed confidence in the party’s growing strength in the state, pointing to the influx of prominent politicians into the party.
He assured APC members that El-Rufai’s departure would not impact the party’s prospects.
Pate said, “We are unperturbed by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection to another party. Our main focus in Kaduna is on how to deliver the state to both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
“The APC in Kaduna State is growing day by day, judging from the calibre of politicians streaming into the party daily.
“So, we are not disturbed by anybody defecting to another party based on our governor’s inclusive governance in the state.
“We are not disturbed and we are not going to lose our sleep over El-Rufai’s moves. The party in the state is growing more than before.”
The former Federal Capital Territory minister had been associating with the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other opposition political figures of late.
At a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, held in Abuja in January, El-Rufai asked the opposition parties in the country to unite to face the APC.
Also at the event were Atiku, a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; representative of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, among others.
El-Rufai, after the conference, granted an interview on Arise TV, where he blasted the leadership of the party for derailing from the vision of the founding fathers.
He criticised the National Executive Council and the Board of Trustees of the ruling party for failing to convene meetings throughout last year.
After the interview, he visited the national chairman of the SDP, Musa Garbam and the leadership of the Kaduna State chapter of the PDP.
He skipped a meeting of the APC national caucus and National Executive Council held last month in Abuja, claiming he did not get the invite.
The former Kaduna governor met with former President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend, followed by a trip to Lagos to meet with former Osun State governor and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and the founder of the Citadel Global Community Church and former APC presidential aspirant, Pastor Tunde Bakare.
While the specifics of El-Rufai’s discussions with the two figures were not disclosed, the visits were believed to be part of his political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general election.
He rounded off his activities for Sunday with the breaking of fast at Atiku’s residence in Abuja.
Less than 24 hours after their meeting on Sunday evening, Atiku and El-Rufai were again seen together on Monday afternoon at the burial of a classmate of the former vice president, Prof Kharisu Chukkol, at the National Mosque, Abuja.
Posting the photo on his X handle, Atiku wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. With total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah, I joined others at the funeral prayer of my classmate, Prof Kharisu Chukkol, at the National Mosque, Abuja.
“May his family be comforted. I pray that Allah will forgive his sins and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. Amin. -AA.”
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
