Politics
El-Rufai Vows To Stop APC, Defects To SDP
Former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has vowed that he would work to unite opposition leaders against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in future elections.
Mallam El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state from 2015 to 2023, has been critical of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly since the Senate refused to confirm him as minister. He said Nigerians should not believe the narrative that the National Assembly rejected him as a ministerial nominee, noting that Tinubu did not want him in his cabinet.
In a statement on his verified Facebook page announcing his resignation from the APC on Monday, Mallam el-Rufai claimed that the ruling party had derailed from its values.
“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”, he wrote.
Mallam el-Rufai said he had repeatedly raised concerns about the party’s leadership but saw no effort to address them.
“Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027 by the Grace of God.
“I, therefore, call on all our supporters and other persons concerned about our country’s future to join us in the SDP in the journey towards making Nigeria flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race”, he said.
Meanwhile, mixed reactions have since trailed his defection. While former APC National vice chairman (North West), Dr. Salihu Lukman, described el-Rufai’s defection as hasty, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, federal character commissioner from Oyo State and former Commissioner for Education, said the move was a political suicide.
In Kaduna, political observers noted that his defection may have been hastened by the return of his arch political enemies to the APC. The former governor had been locked in political battles with the likes of Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, Shehu Sani and many others who were then card-carrying members of the APC. Hunkuyi, after a political fight with el-Rufai left APC for the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) while Shehu Sani left APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, less than 24 hours after Shehu Sani, former senator representing Kaduna Central, openly declared support for Governor Uba Sani’s reelection bid, el-Rufai officially announced his defection.
Sources said the return of Shehu Sani and other prominent politicians including Hunkuyi, Senator Danjuma Laah, former Governor Ramalan Yero and others to the APC recently actually unsettled el-Rufai in the party.
Reacting via telephone with The Tide source, Senator Sani said: “el-Rufai leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again. But one thing is sure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani will be voted again.”
The National Coordinator of the Disciples of Jagaban (DOJ), Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, also boasted that the defection of the former governor was not a threat to APC’s victory in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement, Alawuje said: “It is evident that this move is nothing more than an empty threat that holds no real political weight. Thousands of politicians, more experienced and influential than el-Rufai, have already made their way back to the APC, recognising that the party remains the strongest force in Nigeria’s political arena.
“There is no political force strong enough to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Those who think otherwise are merely testing their political microphone at a low volume. The so-called coalition of expired politicians seeking relevance will not make any difference. Their efforts resemble a shameful dance to a drumbeat that no one will hear. If they insist on making noise, they will be the ones to dance to their own embarrassment.
“The 2027 election is a done deal. It will expose and silence selfish politicians who prioritize personal ambitions over national unity. Ironically, many of these opposition figures were once governors, ministers, or vice presidents, yet they failed to uplift the masses they now claim to represent”.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
-
Sports4 days agoArsenal Women End Man City’s Invincibility
-
Sports4 days agoU-20 WWC: Falconets claim qualifier win
-
Sports4 days agoInsurance Deepen Enyimba’s Trouble
-
Sports4 days agoYouth Olympics preparation Gears up
-
Sports4 days agoCologne Youth Team Set Crowd Record
-
Sports4 days agoTornadoes Set For NPFL exit over Stadium Ban
-
Sports4 days agoPalmer Stars As Chelsea Compound Wolves Woes
-
Sports4 days agoBarca Pull Out Of Super League Project