El-Rufai accuses Tinubu of Sponsoring Crises in PDP, Labour Party, others [Video]

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has alleged that the internal crises rocking opposition parties like the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) are deliberately caused and funded by the current government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

El-Rufai made the allegation while speaking to some individuals including national chairman of Labour Party, Senator Usman Nenadi at the Social Democratic Party (SDP) secretariat in Kaduna on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

He described the situation as a “contrived crisis” aimed at distracting opposition leaders from their core functions.

“The crisis that Aunty Nenadi is facing in the Labour Party is contrived and funded by the government of the day. Everyone knows it. Jumping from one court to another is all designed to distract the party’s leadership from focusing on their core functions,” he said.

El-Rufai argued that the frequent court cases and factional disputes within these parties are part of a broader strategy to weaken their effectiveness.

He pointed to recent developments in the NNPP, where a faction expelled its national leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, as evidence of a manufactured crisis.

“Which party sacks a sitting governor—the only governor they have? You know it’s contrived,” he remarked.

While El-Rufai did not name specific individuals or provide detailed evidence, he insisted that the government is behind these disruptions.

“There are people who are sourced to go and cause trouble,” he said, emphasizing that such tactics are not limited to the Labour Party but are also evident in the PDP and NNPP.”

Watch the video below:

After months of speculations, El-Rufai, yesterday, finally announced his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and decamped to SDP.

El-Rufai cited irreconcilable political differences with the current leadership of APC as his reasons for dumping APC.

The ex-governor, who was also a founding member of the APC, expressed his decision to dump the party in a letter of resignation submitted on Monday to the APC party ward office in Kaduna State.

He expressed his disappointment with the party’s direction in recent years, saying that the ruling party has lost focus and democratic principles.

According to him, “I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform.

“However, developments in the last two years have confirmed a troubling disregard for democratic principles and progressive values that I hold dear,” he added.

Besides, El-Rufai highlighted his role in securing electoral victories for the APC in 2015, 2019, and 2023, while emphasising his commitment to advancing human development, education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment in Kaduna State during his tenure as governor.

“At this point in my political journey, I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish,” El-Rufai said.

He expressed gratitude to his mentors, colleagues, and supporters for their counsel and announced his decision to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“As a member of the SDP, I am committed to fostering a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in upcoming elections,” El-Rufai stressed.

He then called upon all Nigerians concerned about the country’s future to join him in the SDP’s endeavour to elevate Nigeria as a beacon of pride for Africa and the Black Race.

El-Rufai had fallen out with APC and other allies in Kaduna, when an investigative panel was instituted by the State House of Assembly, indicting him of allegedly siphoning State funds to the tune of N432 billion.

The decision by the National Assembly, not to clear him for ministerial appointment also fuelled the political logjam between him and President Tinubu.

El-Rufai is a featherweight

An aide to the APC national chairman, Okpokwu Ogenyi, however, said El-Rufai, is a featherweight, whose impact would not be felt in the coming 2027 elections.

Ogenyi, who is a special assistant to Ganduje on Civil Societies Organisations (CSOs) described El-Rufai as a political lightweight in the North. He also said el-Rufai’s exit would be of no impact on the fortunes of APC in the North.

According to him: “Was el-Rufai not a sitting governor in Kaduna state when we lost in Kaduna in the 2023 poll? So, what would then happen now that he is no longer in government? Since El Rufai left office, have you heard of anything like the Southern Kaduna killings? It is no longer there.”

He said without el-Rufai, the North-West would massively vote for the APC. Remember the speaker of the House of Representatives is from the North-West, the Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin is from the North-West and the national chairman is also from there.

We won’t lose sleep – Kaduna APC

In a similar vein, the Kaduna chapter of APC also dismissed el-Rufai’s defection, saying APC would not lose sleep over the move.

The Secretary of APC in the State, Yahaya Baba-Pate, said APC remained unperturbed by the exit of El-Rufai, stressing that the party is focused on delivering the state to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.

Baba-Pate, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna, expressed confidence in the party’s growing strength in the state, citing the influx of high-profile politicians joining the party daily in the state.

He said: “We are unperturbed by el-Rufai’s defection to another party. Our main focus in Kaduna is on how to deliver the state to both President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.”

No political relevance again – Shehu Sani

Also dismissing the defection, civil rights activist and ex-lawmaker in the defunct 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has said the political relevance and fortune of el-Rufai has eclipsed with the declaration of his membership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Sani said: “Leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again.”

Sani averred that despite el-Rufai’s exit from APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani, will be voted again in 2027.

He said information gathered revealed that the return of Sani and other prominent politicians in Kaduna such as Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; Senator Danjuma Laah, former Governor Ramalan Yero, and others to APC recently unsettled El-Rufai.