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By Myke Agunwa
Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said that he left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) because the party is plagued with godfaterism and dysfunctional political machinery that give no room for internal democracy and equity.
He confirmed that there are ongoing coalition talks involving five major political groups aimed at forming a strong opposition movement under the SDP to unseat the government of Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Recall that the former governor was rejected by the National Assembly for a ministerial slot following a damming report from the Department of State Security (DSS).
The relationship between the former governor and his predecessor also went soar leading to ongoing probe of his administration by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
It is believed that these hostile situations, forced the once powerful governor who was even the anchorman at the Chatham House, United Kingdom pre-election Presidential debate, out of the ruling party into the SDP from where he is building a coalition of aggrieved politicians that will change the re-election of Tinubu in 2027.
While answering questions from journalists in Kano on Monday, El-Rufai noted that Nigeria needs a credible political alternative to rescue it from its current existential threats.
According to him, the SDP offers fresh opportunity, being a platform not controlled by any individual.
“We saw how godfatherism destroyed the PDP and is now wrecking the APC. Nigerians deserve a party built on fairness, internal democracy, and equal opportunity. The SDP can be that alternative.
“These anomalies (godfatherism and internal dysfunctionalism) destroyed the APC and the PDP,” he said.
The former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said he was in the ancient city of Kano to visit the Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and to meet with SDP leaders to strategise on building a strong grassroots political movement in the state.
“Kano is critical to any serious political formation because of its consistently high voter turnout. After joining the SDP, it was important to come and engage with relevant stakeholders here,” he said.
On why he left the APC, a party he helped to form, the former Kaduna State Governor said the political realities in Nigeria have changed.
“12 years ago, we merged three major parties to form the APC and defeated an incumbent president. But now, the goal is different.
“We are bringing together disaffected members across political divides under an existing platform — the SDP — which we believe has the best pedigree and potential,” he said.
Speaking on the contentious debate about rotational presidency, El-Rufai said that while he previously advocated for a power shift to the South, Nigeria’s challenges now demand that competence and leadership capacity, not geography, should determine who leads.
“Our problems are too severe to care about where the next president comes from. We need someone with vision and the ability to fix Nigeria’s fundamental issues,” he added.