Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has made a U-turn on power shift.

He argued that Nigeria’s current challenges demand competence and leadership capacity, and that that should determine who leads, not geography.

“Our problems are too severe to care about where the next President comes from. We need someone with vision and the ability to fix Nigeria’s fundamental issues,” El-Rufai said.

He spoke with reporters after visiting the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and meeting with leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the political platform he recently defected to.

The former governor also defended his move to the SDP and the mass defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) by politicians.

Urging young Nigerians not to lose hope, El-Rufai called on them to join efforts to build a new political movement.

He said: “Nigeria gave me everything despite being an orphan at eight years old. Every Nigerian child deserves the same opportunity.

“If you are frustrated and angry, channel it into building a better future. We must not abandon Nigeria to corrupt politicians and their godfathers.”

On insinuations that his defection to the SDP was borne out of frustration, he said those who believe such needed to understand that he had no more personal ambition to pursue, having “served Nigeria at the highest levels as a minister and governor.”

El-Rufai restated that his exit from the ruling party, which he was a founding member, was primary informed by the need to provide Nigerians with an alternative political platform.

His words: “I am 65 years old. I have served Nigeria at the highest levels; minister, governor, and I could simply retire.

But I believe Nigeria is facing an existential crisis. This is about the country’s survival, not personal gain.

“We have seen how god-fatherism destroyed the PDP and is now wrecking the APC.

“Nigerians deserve a party built on fairness, internal democracy, and equal opportunity. The SDP can be that alternative.

“We are bringing together disaffected members across political divides under an existing platform — the SDP — which we believe has the best pedigree and potential.

“Nigerians deserve a party built on fairness, internal democracy, and equal opportunity. The SDP can be that alternative.”

“After joining the SDP, it was important to come and engage with stakeholders here (Kano).

“Kano is critical to any serious political formation because of its consistently high voter-turnout.

On wave of defections, El-Rufai said he was not concerned.

“A governor only has one vote. Elections are won by the people, not by politicians. Our focus is on mobilizing ordinary Nigerians, not chasing high-profile defections,” he stated.

On perceptions that the SDP is a northern movement, the former governor said the movement is national and growing quietly across southern Nigeria.

“You are seeing Northern energy because we’re currently in Kano. But I have been engaging leaders across Lagos, Anambra, and the South-South. Nation-building is grassroots work, not media shows. You’ll see the results when the time is right,” he noted.

He also confirmed ongoing coalition talks involving five major political groups aimed at forming a strong opposition movement under the SDP.

“It’s a broader national movement for disillusioned Nigerians. Progress is being made, although I had to move faster in Kaduna because many of my political associates needed an immediate platform,” he said.

Defending his criticism of the APC, El-Rufai said his loyalty had always been to Nigeria, not to any individual or political party.

“When things began to go wrong under President Buhari, I wrote to him warning about the dangers.

“When the naira redesign policy hurt Nigerians, I challenged it in court, even though it was an APC-led government. I have never been loyal to individuals over the nation,” he said. (The Nation)