By OBSERVERS TIMES
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has characterized the recent wave of defections by high-profile politicians in Nigeria as “widely exaggerated” and lacking significant electoral impact.
In a press conference held in Kano, El-Rufai dismissed the notion that the defection of governors or top politicians could determine election outcomes, asserting that true political power resides with the people.
“As far as I’m concerned, the defection of high-profile politicians is not the issue,” El-Rufai stated. “These defections may make headlines and sell newspapers, but politically, if you don’t have the support of the people, your profile means nothing. We want to return politics to the people, not to godfathers or so-called high-profile politicians.”
El-Rufai contended that the defection of a governor, or even the collective defection of all governors, would not alter the will of the Nigerian electorate. “A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have millions. If the people say no, it’s over,” he emphasized. “Even the president had a sitting governor and still lost Lagos. I was governor of Kaduna State. I fought hard to deliver the president in my state, but I lost. Governors don’t determine election results — the people do.”
The former minister explained that his decision to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was driven by its potential to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), both of which he claimed have been compromised by powerful interests and internal crises.
“I believe the SDP can become a major political force in Nigeria. Nigerians are yearning for a credible alternative — a new brand of politics, new faces, and a new style of governance,” he said.
El-Rufai emphasized the importance of keeping the SDP free from godfatherism and imposition if it is to succeed. “The APC started well but ended up being controlled by one or two individuals. We want to avoid that in the SDP. We are building a party that no one owns, offering a level playing field for all aspirants.”
He also revealed ongoing efforts to strengthen the SDP, with a target of registering three million voters in Kano State alone. “We are currently focused on building the party from the grassroots,” El-Rufai concluded.
