Defections of Little Value as Real Power Resides with People, Says El-Rufai 

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has dismissed the recent wave of high-profile defections in Nigerian politics, saying they are “widely exaggerated” and lack real electoral value.

Speaking to journalists in Kano, El-Rufai emphasized that the true power lies with the people, not with influential politicians. He argued that the defection of a single governor or even all governors collectively would not sway the will of the Nigerian electorate.

“A governor has only one vote, while Nigerians have millions. If the people say no, it’s over,” El-Rufai said, citing the example of a sitting governor who failed to deliver a state to the president in a previous election.

El-Rufai’s comments come as he joins the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which he believes has the potential to offer a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The former minister attributed his decision to join the SDP to its potential to provide Nigerians with a fresh alternative – a new brand of politics, new faces, and a new style of governance.

He emphasized the need for the SDP to remain free from godfatherism and imposition to succeed.

“The APC started well but was eventually controlled by one or two individuals. We want to avoid that in the SDP. We are building a party that no one owns, with a level playing field for all aspirants,” El-Rufai explained.

The SDP is targeting the registration of three million voters in Kano State alone, as part of efforts to strengthen the party from the grassroots.

El-Rufai’s move to the SDP is seen as a significant development in Nigerian politics, and his comments are likely to spark debate about the role of people power in shaping the country’s electoral landscape.