Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, has officially announced his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), confirming that he made the move with the full knowledge and approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
El-Rufai disclosed his defection in a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Monday, citing concerns over the direction of the APC under its current leadership.
He stated that recent developments in the party over the past two years indicate a lack of willingness to address internal challenges.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa service, the former governor revealed that he had consulted with Buhari before finalizing his decision to leave the APC.
“I left the APC with his full knowledge. I visited him on a Friday and informed him of my decision to leave the party because I involve and consult with him on all my matters,” El-Rufai said.
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He also recalled his practice of consulting Buhari on key political matters during his tenure as Kaduna governor, including the nomination of his commissioners.
According to El-Rufai, he once submitted the list of commissioner-nominees to Buhari for review to ensure none had previously insulted him.
“After going through the list, he nodded his approval and offered prayers. I consult with him in all I do,” he added.
When asked about having a political godfather, El-Rufai acknowledged that he seeks guidance from certain individuals but refrained from disclosing their identities, apart from Buhari.
“I have those I consult with in everything I do. I inform them of anything I intend to do, and when they demand that I keep off, I do. My first godfather is Muhammadu Buhari. For the rest, I will not mention them because if I do, they’ll be pressured,” he stated.
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Regarding his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, El-Rufai admitted to being surprised by certain developments but insisted he had no regrets.
He explained that his support for Tinubu stemmed from concerns raised by Yoruba Muslim leaders about political marginalization in the South West, as well as the consensus that the 2023 presidential election should be zoned to the South for equity and balance.
“The first reason I supported Tinubu was that some Yoruba leaders from the South West had visited Kaduna and informed me that the Muslims of their region were being politically marginalized”.
The second reason is this: We agreed that the 2023 presidential seat would be zoned to the Southern part of Nigeria for fairness, balance, and justice in the country,” he explained.