Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has criticized former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Bwala suggested that teaming up with opposition figures would not be enough to defeat an incumbent government.
El-Rufai announced his defection on Monday, citing a growing disconnect between his personal values and the direction of the APC. He explained that while he had once aligned with the party’s ideology, he no longer felt that it represented the principles he believed in.
Reacting to the announcement on his verified X handle, Bwala acknowledged El-Rufai’s right to switch parties but raised concerns about the reasons behind his decision.
“Senior, @elrufai, I read the news today that you resigned from APC to join SDP. Well, I have nothing against you because you exercised your constitutional right.
“However, the motive is what we will interrogate in the coming days and remind Nigerians that you are not a phenomenon that emerged like a clap of thunder from a blue sky.
“We will intellectually remind you that associating with sore losers to unseat the incumbent is not an ideology, nor is it progressivism. It is simply an inordinate ambition destined to fail,” he wrote.
El-Rufai, in his statement, maintained that his departure was based on principles rather than personal ambition. He reflected on his role in the formation of the APC and expressed disappointment over what he saw as a deviation from the party’s original vision.
“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. Since 2013, I have hoped that my personal values and those of the APC will continue to align until I choose to retire from politics,” he said.
He further stated that his next step would be to unite opposition figures under the SDP’s platform to challenge the APC in upcoming elections.
“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,” he added.
