KEY POINTS
- El-Rufai and opposition figures meet SDP officials in Abuja.
- El-Rufai denies rumors of defection to the PDP.
- SDP focuses on strengthening opposition collaboration.
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and several prominent opposition figures held a closed-door meeting with Social Democratic Party (SDP) officials in Abuja on Tuesday.
While the agenda remains undisclosed, the gathering has fueled speculation about potential realignments in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Participants at the meeting, held at the SDP’s national secretariat, included Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha, and Otunba Segun Showunmi, a former spokesman for Atiku Abubakar.
According to Punch, Showunmi confirmed the meeting on his Facebook page, describing it as a “strategic” review of democratic opposition engagement in the country.
El-Rufai refutes rumors of defection
This meeting comes amid rumors that El-Rufai has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former governor dismissed these reports on his verified X account, calling them “patent lies.” He stated that his lawyers have been instructed to take legal action against those spreading misinformation.
A close associate of El-Rufai, speaking anonymously, also denied the defection rumors. “El-Rufai remains a key figure in the APC and would not switch parties without making it public,” the associate said.
SDP seeks to strengthen opposition collaboration
SDP Chairman Shehu Gabam was said to have called the meeting to spur collaboration between opposition parties.
The gathering shows the increasing need to reset the opposition strategies for the next election cycle.
The behind-the-door meeting has drawn political analysts to ponder the likely outcomes for Nigeria’s political realignment, especially on alliances that might cause shifts in the opposition parties.
