Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has firmly rejected recent rumors suggesting he is planning to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The rumors, which began circulating on Sunday, claimed that El-Rufai was preparing to join the PDP in Kaduna, sparking political speculation.
In a swift response, El-Rufai took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the rumors as “blatant falsehoods” and urged his followers to disregard the reports. He went further to state that he had referred the individuals spreading the false information to his lawyers for legal action.
“Please disregard the patent lies and rumours about my political affiliation. I have referred the lead peddlers of the fake news for further action by my lawyers,” El-Rufai wrote, clearly dismissing the claims and reinforcing his loyalty to the APC.
Speculations and Background of Rumors
Rumors of El-Rufai’s defection from the APC have been circulating intermittently since 2023. These speculations gained further traction after the former governor failed to pass the ministerial screening process, despite being nominated by President Bola Tinubu for a ministerial position.
The Senate had withheld El-Rufai’s confirmation, citing security clearance issues, which prevented him from taking the oath of office as a minister. The decision was viewed by some as a deliberate attempt to undermine El-Rufai’s political influence, particularly given his prominent role within the APC.
Despite the setback, El-Rufai has continued to assert his position within the APC, publicly dismissing the accusations of a potential defection.
Ongoing Investigations and Tensions with Successor
Adding to the political drama, El-Rufai’s eight-year tenure as governor of Kaduna is currently under investigation for alleged corruption. The investigation has raised suspicions of tensions between El-Rufai and his successor, Governor Uba Sani, both of whom are members of the APC.
El-Rufai has labeled the ongoing probe as politically motivated, further fueling speculation about his political future and the state of his relationship with the current APC leadership in Kaduna.
Criticism of President Tinubu
In a recent development, El-Rufai stirred controversy by sharing an article on X that criticized President Tinubu for alleged ethnic bias in the leadership structure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. The move was seen by some as indicative of a growing rift between the former governor and the leadership of the APC at the national level.
