The Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has stated that it will not lose sleep over the defection of former state governor Nasir El-Rufai to the Social Democratic Party.
El-Rufai dumped the ruling party for the Social Democratic Party, citing a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision.
Reacting to the defection, the Secretary of the Kaduna APC, Yahaya Baba-Pate, said the party remained unperturbed by the former governor’s move. He noted that the party’s focus is squarely on delivering the state to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
Speaking to journalists in Kaduna on Monday, Baba-Pate expressed confidence in the party’s growing strength in the state, citing the influx of high-profile politicians joining the APC daily, and maintained that El-Rufai’s departure would not affect the party’s fortunes.
He said, “We are unperturbed by former governor Nasir 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.
“The APC in Kaduna State is growing day by day, judging from the calibre of politicians streaming into the party on a daily basis. So, we are not disturbed by anybody defecting to another party based on our governor’s inclusive governance in the state.
“We are not disturbed and we are not going to lose our sleep over El-rufai’s moves. The party in the state is growing more than before.”