APC poisoned my mind against Peter Obi – El_Rufai’s son

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed a change in perception about the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi,

In a statement on Monday via X, Bashir admitted that his previous negative views about Obi were influenced by members of his former party, the All Progressives Congress(APC).

“Peter Obi is surprisingly not a bad person after all. My views on him have changed recently. My mind was poisoned by my former party members,” he wrote.

Malam El_Rufai and Bashir

Bashir however described him as “a great potential President or Vice President”

His comments come amid political realignments, as his father, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday resigned from the ruling APC and joined the Social Democratic Party.

The former Kaduna governor cited a growing disconnect between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the reason for his defection.

“Developments in the last two years confirm that those who currently control and run the APC do not desire to acknowledge, much less address, the party’s unhealthy situation,” El-Rufai stated in a press release on his X handle.

He further explained that after consulting with his mentors, colleagues, and loyalists, he decided to join the SDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“As a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027,” he added.

El-Rufai’s departure from the APC follows his recent criticisms of the party’s leadership, including their failure to convene key meetings of the National Executive Council and Board of Trustees throughout 2023.

El.Rufai and Aregbesola

His political moves have also drawn attention after his recent meetings with former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and Pastor Tunde Bakare in Lagos, fueling speculations about his 2027 ambitions.