El-Rufai still with us in APC — he remains a political force in Kaduna, says ex-NIMASA DG

August 7, 2025 9:29 pm

Bashir Jamoh, former director-general (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)

Bashir Jamoh, the former director-general (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), says Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna, remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a political force in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, Jamoh said el-Rufai has not officially resigned from the APC, despite his association with other political parties.

In March, el-Rufai announced that he had joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing a growing disconnect between his values and the direction of the APC.

The former governor is also a leading figure in the coalition of political groups operating under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

But Jamoh maintained that el-Rufai’s influence in the APC and Kaduna politics cannot be written off.

“As far as I am concerned, this is my opinion — Malam Nasir el-Rufai is still with us,” he said.

“Yes, he mentioned the SDP. Yes, he mentioned the ADC. But we are yet to get to the point of bidding him farewell. He is someone we still consult.

“We seek his advice, his expertise. Forget the politics — this is about public service. If he refuses to give advice when asked, I believe God will ask him why.”

Jamoh described the former governor as a “political institution”, adding that the Kaduna APC remains open to him regardless of his affiliations.

“You cannot disown your child of eight years. He was a minister under the PDP, joined the CPC, which merged into the APC, and governed this state for eight years. He is part of our political history,” he said.

On el-Rufai’s role in the ADC, Jamoh said the party lacks political relevance in the state.

“We don’t even know who is in the ADC yet. Yes, we hear he is the north-west leader of the ADC, but in Kaduna, they are underperforming,” he added.

“If Malam says today that he is no longer with ADC, we will still remain with him. If he goes to ADC, we will wait and see how far the ADC goes.”