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After his recent defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) failed to garner support in the North-West, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai finds himself at a political crossroads.

Citing a growing “misalignment between his values and the direction of the party,” El-Rufai formally announced his departure from the ruling All Progressives Congress, or APC, on March 10, 2025.

El-Rufai made a public commitment in his remarks to unite opposition leaders and political parties into a powerful alliance that might defeat the APC in the next elections.

“Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027, by the Grace of God,” El-Rufai stated shortly after his move to the SDP.

However, the ZINGTIE has noted that those assurances seem to have been broken after two months. The former FCT Minister has tried tirelessly and in a number of private meetings, but no significant political figure in the North-West has agreed to support the SDP.

Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara are among the northwest states where the SDP does not yet have a structure.

Our reporter was informed by sources with knowledge of the developments that El-Rufai had made “frantic efforts” to win over governors in the key North-Western states of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Kebbi, but all such attempts were “fruitless.”

“He reached out to key players, especially governors and sitting senators and reps, but none gave him a positive response. Not even a state assembly member,” a source who was privy to some of the discussions told our reporter.

“He was even the first person who approached Senators Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abdullahi and Garba Maidoki in Kebbi State but they all turned him down. They didn’t just reject his offer; they chose to move into the APC instead,” the source added.

According to reports, the former governor also made an effort to persuade the governor of Nasarawa State to support the SDP. But the endeavor too ended in failure.

According to the same source, “All his attempts failed. This is because people simply don’t see the SDP led by El-Rufai as a viable alternative at this point.”

As of right now, the SDP only has two representatives in the National Assembly: Hon. Abubakar Sarki Dahiru from the Nassarawa Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency and Senator Godiya Akwashiki from Nasarawa North.

In spite of this poor presence, El-Rufai had intended to revitalize the party in time for the 2027 general elections.

“There’s a general perception in the North that the SDP still carries the legacy of President Tinubu, who won the 1992 Lagos West senatorial election on the same platform.

“That belief is making many politicians suspicious of the party. It’s a hard sell for El-Rufai,” another source told ZINGTIE.

“There’s a perception that El-Rufai’s move to the SDP is not genuine, that it’s a plot to fracture the opposition or that he’s still in Tinubu’s camp somehow,” said another political insider in Kaduna. “People are suspicious. The trust deficit is huge.”

It is reported that El-Rufai is becoming more and more irritated with the political apathy. His political options are restricted because he has no clear way forward and bridges behind him have already been burned.

According to a source, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 PDP presidential contender and former vice president, recently visited with El-Rufai in Abuja and suggested that he rejoin the PDP.

“Atiku told him it’s not too late to come back to the party that made him.

“But El-Rufai, in turn, asked Atiku to join him in the SDP, arguing that the PDP is dealing with too many internal crises with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike hell bent on destroying the party,” the source said.

El-Rufai was left with a growing conundrum when that discussion ended without a solution: continuing on with a solitary crusade or making a humiliating comeback to a PDP in turmoil.

The source said, “He’s boxed in. Moving forward with the SDP feels like pushing a dead horse. But going back to APC is another battle entirely. But he is still considering a possible return to the PDP.”

The only well-known person El-Rufai has managed to draw in so far, in the absence of well-known politicians joining his cause, is comedian Obinna Simon, better known by his stage name MC Tagwaye, who is well-known for imitating former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Despite gaining widespread fame for his comedic career, MC Tagwaye’s political significance is seen as essentially meaningless.

“Convincing a comedian is not the same as convincing political leaders. It shows how bad things are,” another source added.

The alliance that put the APC in power in 2015 is the source of El-Rufai’s current situation.

He was formerly a fervent supporter of President Tinubu and was instrumental in bolstering northern backing for his 2023 presidential bid even though the APC lost Kaduna State to the PDP while El-Rufai was still governor.

But after the elections, when El-Rufai’s name was on the list of ministry aspirants and his screening was delayed because of a negative security report, the relationship quickly fell apart.

The Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly voiced concerns about some of El-Rufai’s previous remarks and affiliations, even though the specifics were never formally revealed.

“That moment marked the beginning of El-Rufai’s political isolation. He felt betrayed. He believed Tinubu didn’t push hard enough to defend him,” a source familiar with the developments told our reporter in Kebbi.

El-Rufai’s contentious religious statements have also damaged his reputation in the South, especially during the general elections of 2023 when he publicly supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket and downplayed the concerns of several Christian organizations.

His statement caused outrage and anger that still linger in many quarters till now.

“El-Rufai is struggling for acceptance in the South. He’s seen as too polarising, especially among Christian communities. That’s why his SDP message isn’t catching on either,” Adamu Maiyama, an APC chaiftian from Maiyama LGA of Kebbi said.

What once seemed like a deliberate step toward becoming the leader of a new opposition front now seems to be a lonely gamble with decreasing dividends for Nasir El-Rufai.

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