Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State – a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seem to be frolicking with an opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), sparking up rumours about a possible defection and a potential run at the presidency in 2027.
The ex-governor who has been silent after helping to bring President Bola Tinubu to power in 2023 but was edged out of a ministerial appointment was seen recently at the SDP office. Days before, the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, visited El Rufai at his Abuja residence.
During the visit, Gabam had complimentary words for El-Rufai calling him a remarkable political figure and a friend.
He said it was “a welcome development that concerned Nigerians are cross-fertilizing ideas on how to salvage the nation’s present unpleasant socio-economic challenges of the times.”
“The prevailing circumstance calls for bi-partisan and robust collaborations that transcend ethnic and religious lines to address the nation’s woes and find sustainable ways to redeem the situation,” Gabam was quoted to have said at the meeting.
But in a video from the meeting circulating online, a voice was heard requesting that the photographer not upload photos and videos from the meeting on X, but El-Rufai retorted, “Let them upload it; I don’t care”, as though he’s daring his party – APC.
Last week Rufai also visited former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo – once a member of PDP, but refused to talk to the press afterwards.
El-Rufai Denies Political Motives
But El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, quickly denied his principal had any political motive and ascribed the meetings instead as old friends meeting across party divide.
In a statement he posted on X, Adekeye wrote, “People have personal histories and relationships that predate political affiliations. It cannot be a hallmark of civilization to have friends from within only your political party. When people visit each other or mingle across party lines, it is because human relationships exist, distinct from the political or the partisan.”
He tried to rationalize that although El-Rufai was an important foundational member of the ruling party, it does not mean that “he treats friends as anathema on account of politics or maintains an antiseptic distance from them”.
He described all the hysteria as “Unfounded speculations” that have become an “industry” of “lies and click baits in the last 18 years”.
Peter Obi Teaming Up With El Rufai?
Yet political pundits will not stop speculating.
A former People’s Democratic Party PDP stalwart who recently pivoted to support President Tinubu, now postulates that indeed, not only is El-Rufai probably moving to SDP, but that Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi is indeed billed to join him soon.
In his post on his official X (former Twitter) handle, Daniel Bwala claims that “PeterObi is allegedly planning to unite with El-rufai in Social Democratic Party as Nigerian Labour Congress set to take ownership and custody of their political party, the Labour Party”
“Recall that there was a judgment of a court that states that Nigeria Labour Congress owns Labour Party. NLC is now prepared to take custody of that party”
He promised “Twist and turns in the coming days”, but reassured Tinubu’s supporters that “All that will not give sleepless night to President Tinubu”, who he says has “his own magic wands to wield.”
Bwala’s tweet immediately infuriated Obi’s army of youthful online supporters who call themselves “The Obidient’s” and have almost fanatical trust in him. Many of them still nursing bitterness from an election they believed was stolen from their them. Here are some tweets from some of them expressing absurdity and incredulity at such proposal.
In Nigeria’s fluid and maverick politics, it must be noted however that nothing is impossible.
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