Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In a recent interview with BBC Hausa which went viral on Saturday, El-Rufai dismissed the idea of a merger, instead urging key opposition figures—including former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi—to join the SDP to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“My wishes and prayers are Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, all opposition leaders to come and join SDP, not to do a merger or to register a new political party,” he said.
El-Rufai explained that he initially supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election because of the former Lagos governor’s accomplishments, hoping he would replicate similar success nationwide.
“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges,” he said.
“We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”
Addressing speculation about his presidential ambition in 2027, El-Rufai stated that the decision was not his to make but would depend on the party and the will of the people.
“It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest,” he said.
El-Rufai resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 10, citing a misalignment of values with the ruling party.
