From Victor Osula, Abuja
Barely 48 hours after refuting claims that he had defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been spotted at a strategic meeting of the Social Democratic Party in Abuja.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, January 6, at the SDP National Headquarters, reportedly included several political heavyweights including associates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the 2023 general polls Atiku Abubakar, strategizing for the 2027 general elections.
In a post on his X account on Sunday, El-Rufai had dismissed reports of his defection as “patent lies,” asserting that he remained committed to the APC. He also disclosed plans to take legal action against those spreading the rumors.
However, Segun Showunmi, a former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s campaign organisation, revealed in a Facebook post on Wednesday that El-Rufai, alongside Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former aide to late General Sani Abacha, and other prominent figures, attended the SDP meeting. The photo above also added to the optics of the occasion.
The session was reportedly convened by SDP National Chairman Shehu Gabam to strategize for the 2027 elections.
Showunmi, who was also present at the meeting, wrote, “Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections, a key meeting was held by His Excellency Shehu Gabam, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with political figures including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, and Segun Showunmi, known as ‘The Alternative.’
“The meeting aimed to review the current state of opposition politics and find ways to strengthen it for the upcoming elections.”
Similarly, Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, Chairman of Liberty TV and Radio and former NIMASA Board Chairman, shared on Facebook a photo of El-Rufai interacting with other notable politicians at the SDP headquarters.
“At the Social Democratic Party (SDP) National Headquarters today are Nasiru El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha Rtd, Segun Showunmi, Senator Gada, and other political actors gathering to seek a unified platform for the 2027 Presidential Battle,” Ramalan wrote.
This is not the first time El-Rufai has been linked to the SDP. In March 2024, he made a similar visit to the party’s office in Abuja.
However, his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, had clarified at the time that the visit was merely a courtesy call in response to an earlier visit by the SDP Chairman, Shehu Gabam.
