El-Rufai mocks APC defections, says party hijacked by few

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has downplayed the wave of high-profile defections from opposition parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the trend as politically inconsequential and driven by individuals seeking influence rather than representing the will of the people.

Speaking to journalists in Kano on Monday, El-Rufai dismissed the recent defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and several other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts, as well as speculated mass defections in Kano State.

According to him, such movements have been exaggerated and lack genuine electoral value.

“The defection of so-called high-profile politicians is not the issue,” El-Rufai said. “These defections are good for headlines and newspaper sales, but they are politically hollow. On the ground, if you don’t have the people, your political profile is meaningless.”

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and prominent political figure recently parted ways with the APC himself.

He expressed disappointment in the current state of the party, lamenting that it has been hijacked by a few powerful individuals who now dictate its direction.

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“The APC started as a people-oriented platform but has since been pocketed by one or two individuals. That’s not what we envisioned when we built this party,” he said.

El-Rufai further rejected the widespread assumption that defections by serving governors or political bigwigs automatically influence electoral outcomes in their states. He emphasized that ultimate power lies with the electorate, not political godfathers.

“A governor has just one vote, like every other citizen. Nigerians collectively hold the real power. If the people say no, then it is no,” he stated.

“Even the president lost Lagos despite having a sitting governor. I was governor of Kaduna and fought hard to deliver my state for the president, but I lost. Governors don’t determine election results — the people do.”

El-Rufai concluded by calling for a return to people-driven politics, warning that excessive reliance on elite defections and political alliances undermines democracy.

“We want to return politics to the people, not to godfathers or so-called high-profile politicians,” he declared.