Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been described as an asset to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), though with some personal weaknesses to address, according to Adewole Adebayo, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Adebayo praised El-Rufai’s intellectual strength and track record in public service while acknowledging that he has areas for improvement.
“The issue is that I see him as an asset, as a hard-working person, and he has a verifiable and measurable track record of public performance,” Adebayo said.
“What I believe is that he has his weaknesses which he needs to work on, but I am not his mentor or therapist. Nigerians have a bird’s eye view of El-Rufai, and they will judge him based on his record.”
El-Rufai, a key figure in northern Nigerian politics, announced on Monday that he had left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the SDP, citing dissatisfaction with the ruling party’s direction.
“The APC has strayed from the dreams and vision of its founding fathers,” El-Rufai said, explaining his decision to switch allegiance.
El-Rufai played a significant role in the 2013 merger that formed the APC and was a strong supporter of President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 election.