Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has officially left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), this move has sparked reactions, particularly from Salihu Lukman, a former APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Lukman described the defection as premature, stressing that it was not the collective strategy they had initially envisioned.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Lukman admitted that El-Rufai’s departure was not surprising, especially after his recent Arise TV interview, where he hinted at dissatisfaction with the APC. However, Lukman had expected a more strategic exit involving other political allies rather than an individual move.
“Yes, I am close to Mallam El-Rufai to the extent that we come from the same state and were in the same party. And I had the privilege of being nominated by him to serve on the National Working Committee of APC. Of course, as everybody knows, we have our own disagreements,” Lukman stated.
Will Lukman and Northern Politicians Follow El-Rufai?
With El-Rufai now in the SDP, many are speculating whether Lukman and other Northern political elites will also abandon APC. While Lukman has not ruled out the possibility, he raised concerns about SDP’s leadership structure and whether it could accommodate their political ideologies.
“The challenge is whether SDP will submit itself to some of the conditions that we believe are necessary. Frankly speaking, unlike most conventional politicians, most conventional politicians who just want a platform where they will present candidates and use it to win elections, there are a few of us who believe the issue is beyond that,” Lukman said.
He criticized both APC and PDP for fostering a culture of imposition, where candidates are handpicked by party leaders rather than being elected based on merit. He warned that if this trend continues, it is predictable that, President Bola Tinubu will automatically be the APC’s presidential candidate in the next election, all first-time APC governors will be given second-term tickets, regardless of their performance and Federal and state legislators will secure re-election as long as they remain loyal to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and APC leadership.
Given these concerns, Lukman hinted that he and his allies may consider leaving APC, but only if SDP meets their political conditions.
“We are in discussion, no doubt about it. If they meet [our conditions] tomorrow, fine,” he said.
El-Rufai’s Exit Exposes APC’s Internal Crisis
El-Rufai’s defection is a significant setback for APC. As a founding member, his departure raises questions about the party’s unity and direction. He justified his exit by stating that his personal values no longer align with APC’s current leadership and policies.
With internal disagreements growing, more defections could follow. The big question is, will Lukman and other APC leaders also join SDP? having revealed that El-Rufia’s defection is premature and didn’t follow the collective plan.
