Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

El-Rufai announced in a statement on Monday, expressing his dissatisfaction with the APC’s leadership style.

El-Rufai claimed that after voicing his concerns in public and privately about the party’s capricious trajectory in recent years, he has decided to look for another political platform to pursue progressive values.

“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC,” he said.

“It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and those of the APC will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics.

“Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party.

“On my part, I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the capricious trajectory of the party. Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish.”

El-Rufai also stated that, following discussions with his mentors, colleagues, and supporters nationwide regarding his future, he had written to his ward in the Kaduna North Local Government Area of the North-West state to resign his membership in the APC, effective immediately.

He then declared that he had now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and adopt it as the platform for his future political engagements and activities.

“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.” the former governor added

The Police Command in Lagos State has detained a suspect accused of stabbing an Uber driver and dispossessing him of his car.

The command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

Hundeyin said that the incident happened on Saturday at 7:34 pm, at Ile-Zik in the Agege area of the state.

An Uber driver reported at Isokoko Division that the suspect boarded his Toyota Camry at Nitel by Old Abeokuta Motor Road, Agege, to Marriott Hotel, GRA, Ikeja.

On getting to Ile-Zik along the way, the suspect brought out a sharp knife, stabbed him all over his body and stole his vehicle, he said.

Hundeyin said that based on the report, a team of policemen trailed the vehicle to Oshodi where the suspect was intercepted.

He was immediately apprehended and the vehicle was recovered from him at the station, he stated.

The police spokesman said that the victim had been taken to the hospital for treatment. Hundeyin said that the investigation into the case was ongoing.

Recently, the Police Command in Lagos State has detained a 23-year-old man for prosecution for allegedly beating his girlfriend to death. The command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

He said the suspect committed the offense on Friday at about 8:00 pm at Ijedodo, Isheri-Osun area of the state.

Hundeyin said a neighbor reported the incident at the Isheri-Osun Police Divisional Station.

The neighbor said that he saw the suspect beating his girlfriend in his room for a reason yet to be determined. He said a few minutes later, the suspect screamed for help, and getting to his apartment, he met his girlfriend lying unconscious on the bed with visible marks of violence found on her body. The girl was immediately rushed to the hospital in Ijegun, where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty, Hundeyin said.

The spokesperson said detectives were immediately dispatched to the alleged murder scene as well as the hospital where the corpse was inspected and photographed.

The image maker said that the corpse had been deposited at a morgue in Yaba for autopsy. At the same time, the suspect had been detained for questioning, adding that an investigation was in progress.

Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor, has proposed that the North needs a solid alliance with the South-South to forge a better Nigeria.

The erstwhile Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister spoke during a condolence visit to the family of Chief Edwin Clark, a staunch Niger Delta advocate, on Friday, February 21, 2025. The elder statesman died last Monday.

He was led to the condolence visit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

El-Rufai traveled down memory lane, recalling the political partnership between the North and the South-South back in the day, concluding that a reignition of such an alliance has become necessary to “save” Nigeria.

“In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the traditional political partners of the north was the south-south. Let us not forget that. Let us go back to that. Let us save this country because it really requires saving. We need a rescue operation,” el-Rufai said.

The former Governor’s remarks came barely a week after he shared a post on his X account, in which the author warned President Bola Tinubu’s supporters and some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not to go against the North.

All this is happening amid a reported feud between El-Rufai and the President, triggered by the latter’s alleged about-turn in appointing the former minister even after he had nominated him.

The former FCT minister is said to have switched allegiance to Atiku’s camp as part of efforts to form a coalition to oust Tinubu in 2027.

The coalition and alliance talks have continued to gain momentum, with politicians across opposition lines reportedly holding strategic meetings.