Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is reportedly on the verge of defecting to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after meeting former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other some opponents of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a post via X on Sunday, Atiku disclosed that he met with El-Rufai alongside former Adamawa state governor, Jibrilla Bindow.
“After tonight’s Itfar (breaking of fast), I received in audience, former Governor of Kaduna State, @elrufai, former Governor of Adamawa, Jibrilla Bindow and Musa Halilu, Dujima Adamawa. Our robust discussions were the dessert of the meal,” he wrote.
Before his visit to Atiku, the former Kaduna governor had visited Aregbesola and Bakare in Lagos.
Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai’s media adviser, revealed this on X.
“Malam Nasir @elrufai was in Lagos today to visit Ogbeni @raufaregbesola and Pastor Tunde Bakare,” Adekeye tweeted.
While El-Rufai’s discussion with the two politicians was not revealed, it is believed that the visits were part of his political scheming ahead of the 2027 general elections.
El-Rufai has in recent times been very critical of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu.
The Kaduna politician blamed Tinubu for his rejection by the National Assembly during ministerial screening.
Aregbesola, a former ally of Tinubu, recently dumped the APC alongside his supporters in Osun State.
Bakare lost the APC presidential ticket to Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential poll and he has also been critical of the government of the day.
El-Rufai’s meeting with both men is coming days after visiting former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna.
The former Kaduna governor’s visit to Lagos has fuelled fresh conversations about his political future and possible strategic alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory was recently in the news when he granted an interview on Arise Television, where he accused Tinubu of deliberately dropping him from his list of ministerial nominees.
He also slammed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for undermining the North over his alleged 2031 presidential ambition.
In the interview, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory hinted at leaving the ruling APC, saying the party had already abandoned him.
When asked if he would be supporting the President’s re-election bid in 2027, the Kaduna politician dodged the question, saying he wasn’t even certain if he would still be in the APC by then.
Amidst these developments, speculation is mounting over El-Rufai’s potential defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Reports indicate that some of his key allies have already joined the SDP, fuelling concerns within the ruling party about a possible realignment.
On Monday morning, one of El-Rufai’s son, Bashir post the logo of SDP putting some credibility to the immiment defection of his father from APC
Although El-Rufai has yet to publicly confirm his defection plans, his recent meetings with political heavyweights signal a strategic recalibration.
APC reacts
When called for a reaction regarding El-Rufai’s recent visit to Aregbesola and Bakare, the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, initially declined, saying the party cannot continue to give his activities needless attention.
When pestered further, the Osun party chieftain said the former governor is the least of their worries at the moment.
He said, “We don’t have any comment. Anybody who wants to worry about his movements is free. So far he is a Nigerian, El-Rufai is free to visit anybody he likes.
“We have more serious work to do than to comment on anybody roaming around.”
The National Deputy Organising Secretary of the party, Nze Chidi Duru also expressed the belief that El-Rufai has the freedom to mingle and associate with whoever he wants.
He said, “You remember that he once visited Aregbesola when he was governor. But at the end of the day, returned and supported Mr President. In recognition of that, there is freedom of association, which is very important. And it is good that he is exercising it to the highest.
“There is no restriction with respect to that. So I don’t think any meaning should be read into his recent visits other than a meeting of friends. At the end of the day, if it leads to something beyond that, we then need to make demands.
“So it is not every visit that we should give political colouration or gain. I am not even thinking about it. It is like me going to visit a political friend and it then becomes a national issue. If there is something that comes out of such association, we can then comment about it.”
