The former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central senatorial district, Shehu Sani, has described the exit of ex-Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a welcome development, saying his departure is a relief to every APC member.
Although some political analysts view El-Rufai’s defection as a potential game-changer, Sani insisted that it holds no significant consequences for the APC, particularly in Kaduna where the former governor’s relevance had dwindled.
He dismissed the threat posed by the former governor’s decamp from APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) during an interview with newsmen on Monday.
According to him, for those of us from Kaduna State, his defection is a relief because he was more of a liability to the party.
Backing his claim with electoral statistics, Sani pointed out that under El-Rufai’s leadership, the APC suffered major setbacks in Kaduna.
“In 2015, APC secured two senatorial seats, but by 2023, all three senatorial zones had been taken by the PDP,” he noted.
He further highlighted the party’s poor performance in the 2023 general elections, stating that out of 14 House of Representatives seats in Kaduna, the PDP won nine, the Labour Party took two, and APC managed to secure only three.
Additionally, he emphasized that the ruling party lost the presidential election in the state during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor.
Sani maintained that rather than hurting the APC, El-Rufai’s departure has unburdened the party, setting the stage for a stronger political repositioning ahead of the 2027 election.
The Guild had earlier reported that El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, officially left the APC on Monday to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
