Defection: El-Rufai has lost political relevance — Shehu Sani

A former lawmaker in the defunct 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has said that the political relevance and fortune of former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, have diminished following his declaration of membership in the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Reacting to El-Rufai’s decision to defect to the SDP, Sani said on Monday, “Leaving the APC for the SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance anymore.”

He added, “But one thing is sure—President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani will be re-elected in 2027.”

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A statement from Shehu Sani’s office further explained, “Less than 24 hours after the former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, openly declared support for Governor Uba Sani’s re-election bid, former Kaduna Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, out of alleged fear of the unknown, officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).”

“Information gathered revealed that the return of Shehu Sani and other prominent politicians in the state—such as Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, Senator Danjuma Laah, former Governor Ramalan Yero, and others—to the APC recently unsettled El-Rufai,” the statement added.

“Shehu Sani has stated that his primary political interest in 2027 is to see Governor Uba Sani re-elected as Kaduna State governor,” it further stressed.

“Unwilling to face the heat, El-Rufai, in a Facebook post today, formally resigned from the APC,” the statement concluded.