Bashir Sa'idu, a former Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Finance under ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has left the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC). He pledged to mobilise his political base in support of Governor Uba Sani ahead of the 2027 elections, according to a report by Legit.ng.
Return to APC with Thousands of Supporters
Sa'idu announced his defection when Governor Uba Sani's Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs, Isa Lawal, visited him at his home. He said the move was not personal, adding that he brought a substantial network of supporters along. He claimed to have crossed over with roughly 10,000 supporters, citing Lere Local Government Area where about 3,091 ADC card-carrying members switched parties. He said some other local government areas contributed groups of around 4,000 supporters each, as reported by Premium Times.
His network, he said, also covers Igabi and Kaduna South local government areas. Sa'idu specifically pledged to deliver all 11 local government areas that make up the Zazzau Emirate to the APC. He also claimed his camp would win more votes in Zaria Local Government Area than former President Muhammadu Buhari secured in previous elections.
Political Weight and Background
Sa'idu's move carries political weight given his long-standing ties to El-Rufai, stretching back to their shared years at Barewa College in Zaria. He held senior positions throughout El-Rufai's eight-year administration in Kaduna and was among the loyalists who followed the former governor out of the APC and into the ADC.
In September, Sa'idu and a group of El-Rufai associates publicly announced their return to the APC. Former commissioner Jafaru Sani confirmed the move at the time, saying the group brought with them more than 150,000 registered ADC members. Former Kaduna North senator Abdu Kwari was also among those who returned, Vanguard reported.
Internal ADC Dispute and 2027 Race
The split within El-Rufai's political camp traces back to the ADC governorship primary held in May, which former House of Representatives member Isah Ashiru won with 86,113 votes. Jafaru Sani, who came second with 29,580 votes, rejected the result and alleged irregularities. Ashiru has since positioned himself as the ADC's main challenger to Uba Sani in the 2027 Kaduna governorship race.
The defections came shortly before El-Rufai himself published a statement on September 23 reflecting on relationships that had grown distant during what he described as his "current difficulties." He said he bore no resentment, but the timing added political significance to the return of his former allies to the APC.
Atiku's Campaign and El-Rufai's Role
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, approved the composition of his National Campaign Council and Presidential Campaign Management Committee for the 2027 general elections. The former vice president kept the structure deliberately small and focused on policy delivery over political patronage. Sa'idu's defection reduces the ADC's footprint in Kaduna just as Atiku's campaign gears up, potentially affecting the party's prospects in the state for 2027.
