Amid growing rumours about his political allegiance, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has clarified that former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has not left the ruling party and remains an influential stakeholder.
Jamoh, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), stated this during a press briefing with journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.
Jamoh acknowledged that the former governor had recently referenced the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) but noted that El-Rufai has not formally exited the APC.
“As far as I’m concerned, this is my opinion. Malam Nasir El-Rufai is still with us. Yes, he mentioned his membership of the SDP. Yes, he mentioned the ADC. But we are yet to get to the point of bidding him farewell.
“He’s someone we still consult. We still seek his expertise, his knowledge, and his advice. Forget the politics for a moment. This is about public service. Whenever we need his advice, he gives it. And if he refuses to give it when asked, I believe God will ask him why.”
Jamoh described El-Rufai as political figure whose contributions to both Kaduna State and the APC remain significant.
“You cannot disown your child of eight years. He was Minister under the PDP. He joined CPC, which merged into APC, and governed this state for eight years. He’s a part of our political history.
He further noted that while El-Rufai has every right to take his own political path, the doors of the APC in Kaduna remain open to him.
“If Malam today says he’s no longer with ADC, we’ll still remain with him. If he goes to ADC, we’ll wait and see how far the ADC goes,” he said.
“We don’t even know who is who in the ADC yet. Yes, we hear he is the North-West leader of the ADC, but as far as Kaduna is concerned, they are underperforming.
Addressing whether the APC could be weakened by El-Rufai aligning with another party, Jamoh maintained that the focus should be on the capacity of the party, not individuals.
“Are you talking about El-Rufai or the ADC? Nasir El-Rufai cannot contest for governorship again. That chapter is closed. So, the question is whether ADC or any opposition party can defeat the APC in this state and I say no.
“In Hausa, there’s a proverb: when you grind your corn, you can’t throw the whole thing into a pot because it’ll be too heavy. APC is too heavy for any party here.
“Maybe you don’t know Kaduna politics very well. Go and take an independent survey today. Who stands a chance of winning the gubernatorial election after Uba Sani? Check opposition parties. Who and who among them can challenge the APC? We have more than 10 capable candidates. I challenge you, do the research.”