Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has downplayed the recent wave of political defections by high-profile politicians in Nigeria, insisting that such movements hold little weight in determining electoral outcomes.
Speaking to journalists in Kano State on Monday, the former governor—now a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—emphasized that true political power lies with the electorate, not with governors, presidents, or so-called political godfathers.
“As far as I’m concerned, the defection of high-profile politicians is not the issue,” El-Rufai stated. “These defections are good for headlines and to sell newspapers, but politically on the ground, if you don’t have the people, your profile means nothing.”
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El-Rufai’s remarks come in response to the recent defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Vice Presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reports also suggest that more governors and lawmakers are preparing to switch allegiance to the APC in the coming weeks.
However, El-Rufai warned against overestimating the influence of political elites in swaying election results, citing his own experience during the 2023 general elections.
“I was governor of Kaduna State. I fought hard to deliver the president in my state, but I lost,” he said. “Governors don’t determine election results — the people do. A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have millions. If the people say no, it’s over.”
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He also pointed to the 2023 presidential election result in Lagos, where the incumbent president lost despite the APC’s control of the state at the time.
“We want to return politics to the people, not to godfathers or so-called high-profile politicians,” El-Rufai added, calling for a shift in political focus away from elite power plays and toward grassroots engagement.