By Adeniyi Yusuf
In a strategic political manoeuvre that has sent ripples through Nigeria’s political landscape, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is making significant strides in recruiting high-profile figures from the nation’s two dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
This move has left both major parties scrambling, raising questions about the future of political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections.
The SDP, not previously a major force in Nigerian politics, may emerge as a serious contender in the political arena by attracting key figures from the APC and PDP.
These political bigwigs may include former governors, senators, and influential party leaders. The defection of a political bigwig has caught both the APC and PDP off guard.
The recruitment is seen as part of the SDP’s strategy to challenge the long-standing dominance of the two major parties in the upcoming political cycle.
The New Daily Prime gathered that many politicians across political parties would join SDP’s train against 2027 elections.
However, reactions have trailed the defection of the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai where some APC chieftains criticised his move.
In response to El-Rufai’s defection, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications via X.com, Daniel Bwala, noted that he had the right to defection.
He dismissed El-Rufai’s political significance, arguing that his relevance was neither sudden nor exceptional.
Bwala posted, “Senior, @elrufai, I read the news today that you resigned from APC to join SDP. Well, I have nothing against you because you exercised your constitutional right.
“However, the motive is what we would interrogate in the coming days and remind Nigerians that you are not a phenomenon that emerges like a clap of thunder out of a blue sky.
“We would intellectually remind you that associating with sore losers to unseat the incumbent is not an ideology, neither is it progressivism; It is simply an inordinate ambition that is destined to fail.”
Responding to the development, the Kaduna APC labelled it as mere political gyration.
This was made known on Monday when the Kaduna APC Secretary, Yahaya Baba-Pate, showed support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
Pate stated, “We are unperturbed by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection to another party. Our main focus in Kaduna is on how to deliver the state to both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.
“The APC in Kaduna State is growing day by day, judging from the calibre of politicians streaming into the party daily.
“So, we are not disturbed by anybody defecting to another party based on our governor’s inclusive governance in the state. We are not disturbed and we are not going to lose our sleep over El-Rufai’s moves. The party in the state is growing more than before.”
Although, the former Federal Capital Territory minister, Nasir El-Rufai, has recently been seen aligning with key opposition figures, including the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other political leaders. At a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja this January, El-Rufai urged opposition parties to unite in order to challenge the All Progressives Congress.
Notable attendees at the event included Atiku, former Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and representatives from the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Following the conference, El-Rufai granted an interview on Arise TV, where he launched a scathing critique of the APC leadership.
He accused the party’s National Executive Council and Board of Trustees of failing to hold meetings throughout the previous year, thereby straying from the vision of the party’s founding fathers.
In the aftermath of the interview, El-Rufai met with the national chairman of the SDP, Musa Garbam, as well as the leadership of the Kaduna State chapter of the PDP. Notably, he skipped a key APC National Caucus and National Executive Council meeting in Abuja last month, claiming he had not received an invitation.
El-Rufai’s political activities did not stop there. He paid a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari over the weekend, followed by a trip to Lagos, where he met with former Osun State Governor and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as well as Pastor Tunde Bakare, the founder of the Citadel Global Community Church and former APC presidential aspirant. Though the specifics of these meetings remain unclear, they are widely seen as part of El-Rufai’s political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 general election.
El-Rufai’s day concluded with a breaking of fast at Atiku’s residence in Abuja. Less than 24 hours after their Sunday evening meeting, El-Rufai and Atiku were seen together again at the burial of Atiku’s classmate, Professor Kharisu Chukkol, at the National Mosque in Abuja on Monday afternoon.
Also speaking on the matter, a former lawmaker, Shehu Sani, who is a staunch critic of El-Rufai, said leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again.
Read Also:
- BREAKING: El-Rufai dumps APC, joins SDP
- PICTORIAL: El-Rufai visits Atiku, Tunde Bakare, Aregbesola
- Buhari, Amaechi, El-Rufai shun APC NEC meeting
In a report by the PUNCH, the former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC and a key strategist in the ongoing proposed coalition among opposition parties, Salihu Lukman, bemoaned the defection of El-Rufai to the SDP.
Lukman, a loyalist of the ex-governor, said the defection was too premature and was not the kind of collective move they earlier projected.
The former Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum disclosed this in an interview with some selected journalists in Abuja.
He said, “Yes, I am close to Mallam El-Rufai to the extent that we come from the same state and were in the same party.
“I had the privilege of being nominated by him to serve on the National Working Committee of the APC. Of course, as everybody knows, we have our own disagreements.
“It (defection) is expected. Even after the interview he granted on Arise TV, you can see the handwriting.
However, I expected that he should have been a bit patient for us to walk out as a group, based on the ongoing negotiation.”
When asked if his camp and some key northern elites would join El-Rufai in the SDP, Lukman expressed reservations about the leadership of the opposition party.
The former APC chieftain, however, noted that they might take their chances if certain conditions were met.
Also, the 2023 elections SDP presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, posted on X handle, @Pres_Adebayo, saying, “On behalf of the teeming members of the SDP and patriotic democrats who believe in Nigeria and her promise of inevitable greatness, I heartily welcome my dear brother El-Rufai to our party. With the hardworking and sagacious Mallam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity.
“Now is the time for us to put our collective shoulders behind the efforts to fulfil Chapter 2 of the Constitution and rescue Nigerians from bad governance and underdevelopment to restore #HopeAgain 2027 to the suffering masses callously left behind in the locust years of the APC and its co-traveller PDP.”
Similarly, SDP National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Olu Agunloye, in his reaction said El Rufai to SDP was an attestation that the party remains a force to reckon with in the country.
“El-Rufai is well known for his vibrant productivity as proprietor of intercellular company, as boss of BPE, as Minister, as Governor of Kaduna and as a person and politician. He will add value…
“The former minister and former governor, El-Rufai, is welcome to our great party. The key issue is not about how to welcome or celebrate him but what he is bringing on the table and what his motives and programmes are.”
