The immediate-past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufa’i, has resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In a statement he issued on Monday, El-Rufai expressed his disappointment with the APC’s leadership style, accusing the leadership of the party of straying from the progressive ideals of its founding members.

At this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish. I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).https://t.co/31zBvVPkQf

— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) March 10, 2025.

He disclosed that he had expressed concerns both privately and publicly over the party’s trajectory in the past two years, but found no willingness among the current leadership to address the issues.

The former governor said: “Developments in the last two years on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the State.

“At this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish.

“My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development. These records count for little in the current APC that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt in the last two years, I find this no longer acceptable.”

El-Rufai said he submitted his resignation letter to his ward in Kaduna North Local Government Area of the North-West state.

He described the SDP as the platform for his future political engagements even as he called on his supporters and other concerned Nigerians to join him in the SDP, emphasising the need for a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in future elections.

The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has extended the closing date for receiving applications for various vacancies in the Federal Civil Service to Monday, March 17 2025, to allow more eligible candidates to participate in the exercise.

The announcement, according to a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Taiwon Hassan, supersedes the previous announcements in various national media on Monday,  January 27, 2025 including FCSC website: www.fedcivilservice.gov.ng, where the deadline was pegged at Monday, March 10, 2025.

Qualified Nigerians are urged to avail themselves of the extension opportunity and apply for the vacancies of their choice.

The Commission assures applicants of merit-driven and transparent recruitment.

By Eric Elezuo

Reprieve came the way of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Friday, when the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, finally reassigned his trrrorism allegation’s case. This has been Kanu’s prayer in recent times even as the case continue to unnecessarily prolong. The Biafran nation agitator has since sent his expression of gratitude to the CJN.

In a statement by his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor Esq, on Saturday, Kanu also expressed his appreciation to members of the general public for their solidarity on his demand for the transfer of the casefile.

Kanu noted that he received two letters from the CJN and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho conveying the transfer of the case to another judge after his earlier letter complaining about the continued trial before Justice Binta Nyako.

“Consequent upon these latest developments, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu instructed the legal team to publicly convey his sincere gratitudes to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for her sound administrative discretions and the despatch with which she responded to our request,” Ejimakor said.

Continuing, he said Kanu “also expressed his profound appreciations to members of the general public who publicly expressed their support to our righteous demands that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case be reassigned to another judge, as the law demands.

“To be sure, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has always been ready to take his trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence.

“But the perverse events of the past six months (from September 2024, when the recusal happened) posed portent dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to fair and speedy hearing.

“It was in view of this that we were propelled to resort to taking extraordinary measures to ensure that his case is properly reassigned and conducted in accordance with the law.

“So, now that the first steps have been taken by the authorities to do the lawful thing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his legal team shall take stock and hanker down to the zealous preparation of his defence.”

Recall that a physically agitated Kanu had during the February 10 sitting before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court lamented that the judge refused to recuse herself from his trial, accusing her of bias, thoroughly tongue-lashing the trial judge, and accusing her of being pressured to convict him in exchange for leniency towards her husband and son, who he claims are facing corruption charges.

Further accusing the Nigerian judiciary of “Poor knowledge of the law” which he alleged “is killing Nigeria”, Kanu argued that his push for self-determination is not a crime and insisted that previous judgments invalidate his trial.

Ejimakor, leading his legal team, maintained that Justice Nyako had already recused herself from the case based on her September 24, 2024, court order and no longer has the jurisdiction to preside over it.

“The said order is extant and subsisting and was never appealed. So, to this day, it remains valid in all ramifications, such that it strains the legality of the hearing conducted before the same Judge today,” he stated.

Ejimakor also revealed that Kanu has filed a petition against Justice Nyako for judicial misconduct on January 14, 2025.

The legal team argues that Nyako’s continued oversight of the case violates the principles of natural justice, equity, and good conscience.

Kanu argued that with no trial progress in over a decade, the Federal Government should drop the charges, and either reinstate his bail or discontinue the case.

“The next best thing, which is also lawful and constitutional, is to end this whole saga honorably by releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the legal team noted.

Kanu was renditioned to Nigeria from Kenya in 2021, and accused of jumping bail following his escape after men of the Nigeria military invaded his country home in Afaraukwu, Asia State.

With the recusal/removal of Justice Nyako, the next action by the federal government, who is prosecuting Kanu, remains unknown.

Is this the end of Kanu’s long drawn trial and incarceration, or is the federal government playing another card? Time will surely tell.