Kaduna State’s former Governor Nasir El-Rufai has formalised his membership of the opposition coalition vehicle, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
El-Rufai received membership number 000002, following the coalition Vice National Chairman North West, Mallam Jaafaru Sani, who was assigned 000001 as the first registrant in the state.
A founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai, who had been rejected by the Senate for a ministerial nomination, exited the party earlier this year for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
His resignation letter from the SDP, dated November 26, 2025, said the former governor stated that his focus was on contributing to the strengthening of a unified democratic platform that can offer a credible political alternative to the people of Nigeria.
“I wish to notify that I have resigned my membership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, effective 26 November, 2025,” he said.
The former governor registered with the ADC and collected his membership card at the party office in Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna State.
Accompanied by supporters, El-Rufai pledged to leverage the ADC platform to confront what he described as incompetent leadership in the state.
He said: “I’m a bona fide member of the African Democratic Congress.
“The SDP would not agree to open up to the coalition leadership because the government has bribed and compromised some of the leaders.
“Happily, the ADC agreed to the terms and conditions of the coalition leadership.”
He stated that all pending by-elections and local contests, which had delayed his full commitment, had now concluded.
El-Rufai expressed gratitude to the organisers for arranging the event on short notice, saying that, “I was informed at 6 pm yesterday to be here at 4 o’clock. And I managed to get here.”
He vowed to challenge APC leadership in Kaduna State, citing past successes and the need for accountability.
El-Rufai said: “I want to call on all citizens of Kaduna State of 18 years and above to come out en masse and register with the African Democratic Congress
“By the grace of God, we are going to repeat what we did in 2015, when we got rid of the incompetent, thieving, stealing and corrupt PDP administration.”
El-Rufai, who was instrumental in the 2013 merger of opposition parties that led to the formation of the APC, lamented that the party had lost its original vision.
