Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed the defection of high-profile politicians in Nigeria, stressing that it holds no substance.
El-Rufai said governors, president, and political godfathers don’t determine who wins elections in Nigeria.
Addressing journalists in Kano State, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, chieftain insisted that the people decides who wins elections and not politician.
He argued that the defection of one or all State governors would not change the will of the Nigerian electorate.
According to El-Rufai: “As far as I’m concerned, the defection of high-profile politicians is not the issue.
“These defections are good for headlines and to sell newspapers, but politically on the ground, if you don’t have the people, your profile means nothing.
“We want to return politics to the people, not to godfathers or so-called high-profile politicians.
“A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have millions. If the people say no, it’s over.
“Even the president had a sitting governor and still lost Lagos. I was governor of Kaduna State. I fought hard to deliver the president in my state, but I lost. Governors don’t determine election results — the people do.”;
Last week, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and the Peoples Democratic Party former presidential running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
More governors and lawmakers are said to be planning to join the ruling party.
