Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai's staunch ally and ex-Chief of Staff, Bashir Sa'idu, has defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Sa'idu, who also served as Commissioner for Finance under Mr. El-Rufai, made the pledge when the governor's Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs, Isa Lawal, visited him at his residence. He promised to mobilize thousands of his supporters for Governor Uba Sani ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mr. Sa'idu specifically promised to deliver the 11 local government areas that make up the Zazzau Emirate to the APC. He claimed that in the Zaria Local Government Area, the APC would secure more votes than the votes recorded for former President Muhammadu Buhari in previous elections. Mr. Sa'idu said his return to the APC was not an individual move, adding that he had brought along a large network of supporters who would demonstrate their political strength during the elections.
According to Mr. Sa'idu, his defection was intended to prove wrong those who believed he left the ADC alone. He cited Lere Local Government Area, where he claimed about 3,091 ADC card-carrying members joined the APC. He further claimed that there were groups of about 4,000 supporters in some other local government areas. The former Chief of Staff said he moved to the APC with about 10,000 supporters, describing them as people who had demonstrated political loyalty to his camp.
Mr. Sa'idu's political network extends beyond Zaria to Igabi and Kaduna South local government areas. He acknowledged that his mobilisation would not prevent the state government from conducting its own political planning. He said his group could either work alongside the government's political structure or operate independently and meet at the polls. This move is significant because of his long relationship with Mr. El-Rufai, dating back to their days at Barewa College, Zaria.
During Mr. El-Rufai's eight-year administration in Kaduna, Mr. Sa'idu held senior positions, including Commissioner for Finance and, later, Chief of Staff. Mr. Sa'idu was among the prominent figures who followed Mr. El-Rufai from the APC to the ADC. Earlier in September, Mr. Sa'idu and other El-Rufai associates announced their return to the APC and support for Governor Uba Sani. Former commissioner Jafaru Sani confirmed that the group had returned to the APC, adding that they were bringing with them more than 150,000 registered ADC members.
The development came amid a broader realignment of Kaduna politicians ahead of the 2027 elections. The ADC primary in May deepened divisions within the former governor's political network, with reports pointing to dissatisfaction among some of Mr. El-Rufai's loyalists with the outcome and the direction of the ADC. Mr. Ashiru has since positioned himself as the ADC's principal challenger to Mr. Uba Sani in the 2027 Kaduna governorship contest.
Mr. Sa'idu's defection also came shortly before Mr. El-Rufai publicly reflected on the changing relationships around him. In a statement titled "My Relationships and the Aftermath," dated 23 September, the former governor lamented that some former colleagues, friends and family members had remained silent or distanced themselves during his current difficulties. The timing has given fresh political significance to the return of former El-Rufai associates to the APC.
Key points
- Bashir Sa'idu defects from ADC to APC, promising to mobilize thousands for Governor Uba Sani's 2027 re-election bid.
- Sa'idu claims to have brought 10,000 supporters with him to the APC.
- The defection is significant due to Sa'idu's long relationship with former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai.
