Senator Aliyu Wadada, who represents Nasarawa West in the 10th Senate has stated why he is leaving the Social Democratic Party, SDP. He revealed this in an interview, where he specifically named Nasir El-Rufai, a former Governor of Kaduna State, as the major reason for his decision to quit the SDP.
He stated that although El-Rufai is his elder brother, he can not remain in the same party with someone whose political principles he does not respect.
“Even though Malam El-Rufai is my elder brother, I don’t think I can stay with him in the SDP because he is not a principled politician,” Senator Wadada said.
He criticized El-Rufai’s political shift, noting that El-Rufai was once a staunch advocate for power rotation to the South and played a critical role in the emergence of President Tinubu, both as the APC flagbearer and ultimately the President.
However, Wadada expressed disappointment that El-Rufai abandoned the APC for the SDP, not for any other reason than his inability to secure a ministerial position.
“What changed in President Tinubu between the time El-Rufai supported him and now that he has defected to the SDP,” he questioned the rationale behind El-Rufai’s move.
He described the defection as driven by selfish interests, emphasizing that he cannot work with individuals who place personal ambition above the collective interest.
Speaking on the state of the nation, Senator Wadada acknowledged the economic challenges brought on by the removal of fuel subsidies. However, he expressed optimism, noting that governments at all levels are making efforts to improve citizens’ welfare.
He added that under the subsidy regime, only a few individuals benefited. Now, following its removal, the funds are being allocated directly to state governments for development projects.
