How Former President Buhari Approved El-Rufai’s Defection to SDP

How Former President Buhari Approved El-Rufai’s Defection to SDP

 

 

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, disclosed that his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) and join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was made with the full knowledge and approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

During an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai explained that he had personally consulted Buhari before making the significant political move. He emphasized that he never took any major political steps without first informing the former president. “I left APC with his knowledge. I went to him on Friday and informed him that I was leaving the party. There is nothing I do without informing him,” El-Rufai said.

 

The former governor further elaborated on his long-standing relationship with Buhari, revealing that he regularly sought the former president’s advice on critical decisions throughout his tenure as Kaduna’s governor.

 

 

El-Rufai explained that before appointing any commissioners, he would present a list of nominees to Buhari for approval, ensuring that no one on the list had ever criticized or insulted the president. “Even when I was Kaduna governor, before appointing commissioners, I would present a list to him for review, ensuring none had ever insulted him,” he noted.

 

El-Rufai also addressed the question of political mentorship, denying that he had a political godfather but acknowledging that he valued the advice of respected individuals, with Buhari being his primary political mentor. “What is a godfather? I have elders whom I consult before making any major decision. If they advise me to halt a plan, I do so. My primary political mentor is Muhammadu Buhari,” he clarified, although he refrained from naming other figures who might also offer counsel.

 

This development comes after El-Rufai officially resigned from the APC, citing the party’s departure from its founding principles and vision.

 

 

In a statement posted on Facebook, El-Rufai expressed disappointment with the current direction of the APC, which he felt no longer aligned with the ideals of progressivism that the party once represented.

 

 

“As a founding member of the 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 would continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics,” he said.

 

However, El-Rufai’s decision to leave the APC was influenced by what he saw as a shift away from those foundational values in recent years.

 

He added, “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.”

 

El-Rufai’s move to the SDP marks a significant shift in the political landscape, as he joins the party after a long-standing relationship with the APC, which he helped establish in 2013. His departure underscores growing dissatisfaction within the ranks of the ruling party as former allies part ways with the administration.