El-Rufai Still With APC, Says Ex-NIMASA DG, Jamoh

Former director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Dr Bashir Jamoh, has insisted that former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, is a member of the ruling APC.

Addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, Jamoh said despite el-Rufai’s recent remarks referencing other political platforms, there has been no formal indication that he has exited the APC.

“As far as I am concerned, Malam Nasir el-Rufai is still with us, he mentioned ADC and SDP, but we have not reached a point where we can say farewell. He remains a key figure whose advice and input we still seek and he gives.”

Jamoh described the former governor as an institution within Kaduna politics, saying his legacy in the APC cannot be easily erased.

“You cannot disown your child of eight years. He served as Minister under the PDP, joined CPC, and governed Kaduna under the APC for two terms. He is a major part of our political history,” he said.

Commenting on the opposition’s strength ahead of the 2027 elections, Jamoh said parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) do not pose a serious challenge to the APC in the state.

“We don’t even know the key figures in ADC in Kaduna. As far as political structure is concerned, they are struggling,” he noted.

He emphasised that the APC remain the dominant party in Kaduna State, adding that even if el-Rufai chooses to support another platform, it would not diminish the strength of the APC.

“Are you talking about El-Rufai or the ADC? He can no longer contest for governor. The issue is whether the party he associates with can defeat the APC in Kaduna, and the answer is no,” he said.