Political and social commentator Isaac Fayose has described former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as a "pretender" who is all talk but incapable of taking action.

Fayose’s remarks come in response to El-Rufai’s decision to quit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he played a key role in establishing ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

In a statement released on Monday, March 10, El-Rufai announced his resignation from the APC and declared his decision to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He cited irreconcilable differences with the party’s leadership and dissatisfaction with how the Tinubu-led administration has handled the country's economy.

While El-Rufai’s defection has drawn significant attention from political observers, Fayose took to his Instagram page on Tuesday, March 11, to criticize the former governor, claiming he was "rejected absolutely" by Kaduna State.

According to Fayose, El-Rufai failed to secure victory for the APC in the 2023 presidential election, as the party lost the state to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while narrowly winning the governorship race.

Read Fayose’s statement on Kaduna’s 2023 election results

"When discussing politicians who have fallen from grace to grass, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State stands out. A pretender who talks but cannot act. Just look at the election results under his leadership in a state he governed for eight years—he was completely rejected by Kaduna State!" Fayose wrote.

He then outlined the 2023 election results in Kaduna, emphasizing the APC’s setbacks at the federal level

2023 Presidential Election Results – Kaduna State

PDP (Atiku Abubakar): 554,360 votes (Winner)
APC (Bola Ahmed Tinubu): 399,293 votes
Labour Party (Peter Obi): 294,494 votes
NNPP (Rabiu Kwankwaso): 92,969 votes
Presidential Winner in Kaduna: PDP (Atiku Abubakar)

2023 Governorship Election – Kaduna State

APC (Uba Sani): 730,002 votes (Winner)
PDP (Isah Ashiru): 719,196 votes
Labour Party (Jonathan Asake): 58,283 votes

Governorship Winner: APC’s Uba Sani, with a narrow victory margin of 10,806 votes.

2023 Senatorial Election – Kaduna State
The PDP secured all three senatorial seats in the state

Kaduna North: Khalid Ibrahim Mustapha (PDP) – Winner
Kaduna Central: Lawal Adamu Usman (PDP) – Winner
Kaduna South: Sunday Marshall Katung (PDP) – Winner
This clean sweep by the PDP marked a major setback for the APC in the National Assembly elections.

2023 House of Representatives Election – Kaduna State out of 16 federal constituencies

PDP won 10 seats
APC won 4 seats
Labour Party won 2 seats

PDP’s dominance extended to the National Assembly level, further weakening the APC’s position in the state.

2023 Kaduna State House of Assembly Election of the 34 state constituencies

APC won 22 seats
PDP won 12 seats
Labour Party won 2 seats

Key Observations from Kaduna’s 2023 Elections

PDP dominated the federal elections, winning the presidential, senatorial, and House of Representatives contests.

APC narrowly retained the governorship despite its weakened performance at the national level.

The Labour Party made historic inroads, securing its first-ever seats in Kaduna's state and federal assemblies.

Southern Kaduna, a Christian-majority area, remained a stronghold for the PDP, while the Labour Party gained traction in urban centers like Kaduna and Zaria.