Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai and a former presidential candidate, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, alongside some prominent politicians and loyalists of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday met with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
It was learnt that the meeting, held at the SDP headquarters in Abuja, aimed to strategise against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, reports Nigerian Tribune.
Also in attendance was a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, among others believed to be allies of the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
Showunmi, in a post shared with pictures on his Facebook page yesterday, said the meeting which included El-Rufai and Al-Mustapha was aimed at reviewing the current state of opposition politics in the country.
“El-Rufai, Gabam and Al-Mustapha Plan Stronger Opposition for Nigeria’s 2027 Elections
“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,” he disclosed.
He added that the meeting is also aimed at finding “ways to strengthen it for the upcoming elections.”
Meanwhile, this is coming barely two days after El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling APC, denied dumping the party for the PDP.
The former governor, in a post on his X page, debunked the rumours, saying that his lawyer has been instructed to take necessary action against the lead peddlers of what he described as “fake news.”
El-Rufai, whose nomination, among the first list of 28 ministerial nominees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was withheld by the Senate in 2023 and later replaced, had earlier been pictured with the leadership of the SDP.
It was earlier reported in March 2024 that the former governor visited the SDP secretariat in Abuja. However, in a swift reaction to the report, El-Rufai refuted claims that he might be planning to join the party.
