Abacha’s Former Aide Follow El-Rufai’s Footsteps, Defects To SDP

Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former aide to deceased military leader, General Sani Abacha, has officially joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Al-Mustapha, accompanied by his team, arrived at the SDP headquarters in Abuja, where he was warmly received by party leaders and supporters.

He said his move to the party signals his commitment to leadership based on justice, security, and progress.

This move is coming after former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defected to the SDP.

El-Rufai had accused the APC of failing to abide by its founding principles, adding that the government is now commercialised and everything has a price tag.

The former governor vowed to move against the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration during the 2027 polls.

Naijaonpoint reports that Al-Mustapha was the Chief Security Officer to former military ruler General Sani Abacha during his administration from 1993 to 1998.

He was known as one of Abacha’s closest associates during the military regime.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Ata, has dismissed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s recent political moves as desperate attempts to remain relevant, declaring that his political career is practically over.

Ata accused El-Rufai of engaging in “political mischief” after failing to secure a ministerial appointment in President Bola Tinubu’s administration due to his inability to pass a security screening.

He further criticized El-Rufai’s tenure as Kaduna governor, describing it as a period marked by insecurity, divisive policies, and failed leadership.

Despite El-Rufai’s defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and his attacks on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ata assured that Tinubu’s government remains focused on delivering on its promises and will not be distracted by political theatrics.

His tenure as the minister of the FCT under President Olusegun Obasanjo was marked by contentious policies and an abrasive leadership style. This trend continued throughout his political journey, from his days in the opposition during the formative years of the APC to his tenure as a two-term governor of Kaduna State.

“It is, therefore, not surprising that in the present dispensation, while President Tinubu remains focused on tackling the multi-faceted challenges facing Nigeria, El-Rufai has chosen to embark on yet another round of political mischief,” Ata said in a statement issued by his media aide, Seyi Olorunsola.

The minister further accused El-Rufai of presiding over a period of severe insecurity in Kaduna, stating that under his leadership, ethnic and sectarian violence escalated significantly.

“Under his watch, Kaduna recorded some of the highest fatalities linked to communal conflicts and terrorist activities. Infamously, he once admitted to making payments to foreign militias, a statement that remains a dark stain on his record and raises questions about his role in fostering peace and stability,” Ata noted.

He described El-Rufai’s leadership style as divisive, claiming that his policies alienated minority groups and worsened communal tensions in the state.