Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, has revealed that he left the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the knowledge of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling party, defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Monday, citing an unhealthy situation in the party.
In an interview with BBC Hausa service on Wednesday, El-Rufai stated that he had a discussion with Buhari about his decision to leave the APC and join the SDP.
“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,” he said.
El-Rufai also acknowledged Buhari as his first political godfather, stating that he consults with him on all his decisions.
El-Rufai further explained that he supported President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election because some Yoruba leaders from the South West had informed him that Muslims in their region were being politically marginalized.
He also stated that he agreed with the decision to zone the presidential seat to the Southern part of Nigeria for fairness and justice.
Although he expressed surprise at some of Tinubu’s actions, El-Rufai said he did not regret supporting him.
El-Rufai cited the APC’s deviation from its founding principles as the reason for his departure. “The APC abandoned the ideals that led to its formation. It has abandoned the people.
Everyone is now pursuing personal interests and wealth,” he said. He also stated that appointments are now controlled by a select group from Lagos, and that the party has become a business enterprise where everything has a price.
