El-Rufai still APC member despite ADC moves, says ex-NIMASA DG

Bashir Jamoh, the former director-general (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has revealed that Nasir El-Rufai is still a bona fide APC member.

Jamoh made the statement at a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, acknowledging that the ex-governor of Kaduna, El-Rufai is still a political force in the state.

Despite his open affiliation with the new coalition party, ADC and his constant criticism of the Tinubu-led administration, the former DG believes he is still an active member of APC until he officially resigns.

In March, el-Rufai announced that he had crossed over to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing a growing disconnect between his values and the direction of the APC as the reason behind his move.

Again, in late July, El-Rufai was part of the prominent political figures who adopted ADC as a coalition party with the plan to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Yet, the former DG of NIMASA believes that Nasir El-Rufai still belongs to the APC and his influence in the party cannot be written off.

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

“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,” he said.

Jamoh further praised El-Rufai, calling him a political institution, adding that the Kaduna APC is always open to him regardless of his affiliations, even though he believes the ex-governor is going nowhere.

“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 added.

Jamoh, like other politicians, also believe that the ADC coalition party cannot stand the test of time. He negated El-Rufai’s role in the party, affirming that party lacks political relevance in Kaduna 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.

“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,” he added.

Nevertheless, El-Rufai has already began groundwork for ADC ahead of 2027 elections which prompted Ajibola Bashiru, APC national secretary to tell him to go get a job.