EXCLUSIVE: Days After Denying Defection Rumours El-Rufai Sets To Join SDP
Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has sparked speculation about his political future with visit to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) national headquarters on Tuesday.
This move came just two days after he denied rumours of defecting from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
El-Rufai had taken to social media platform X on Sunday to debunk the defection claims, threatening legal action against those responsible for spreading the false information.
“Please disregard the patent lies and rumours about my political affiliation. I have referred the lead peddlers of the fake news for further action by my lawyers,” he wrote.
A post shared on Facebook by Liberty TV and Radio Chairman Kaduna and former Chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Board, Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, revealed the moment El-Rufai met with other prominent politicians at the SDP office on Tuesday.
Ahmed, who posted photographs of the visit, said the meeting was held over plots to form a unified political platform that will unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.
Ahmed wrote: “At the Social Democratic Party (SDP) National Headquarters today are Nasuru El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al Mustapha Rtd, Segun Showunmi, Senator Gada, and other Political Actors gathering looking for a unified platform for the 2027 Presidential Battle.”
In March 2024, El-Rufai made a similar visit to the SDP office in Abuja.
However, according to his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, following last year’s visit, it was merely a courtesy call in response to a prior visit from the party’s chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam. El-Rufai’s team emphasised that the visit didn’t indicate any impending political move.
