Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed a newfound admiration for Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Bashir wrote:
“Peter Obi is surprisingly not a bad person after all. My views on him have changed recently. My mind was poisoned by my former party members.”
His statement comes amid speculation of a possible alliance between Nasir El-Rufai and Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections.
El-Rufai’s Move to the SDP
Nasir El-Rufai recently resigned from the APC and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), urging opposition members, including Labour Party supporters, to unite under a single platform to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.
“I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and unite under a single democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027.”
El-Rufai’s fallout with the APC intensified after the Senate declined to confirm him as a minister, a decision he claimed was orchestrated by President Bola Tinubu.
Kaduna APC Unbothered by El-Rufai’s Exit
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State APC has dismissed concerns over El-Rufai’s defection, stating that his exit will not impact the party’s strength.
Kaduna APC Secretary, Yahaya Baba-Pate, said:
“We are unperturbed by El-Rufai’s defection. Our focus is on delivering Kaduna for Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.”
With the 2027 elections drawing closer, speculation continues to build around potential realignments, including whether El-Rufai and Obi will collaborate politically in the near future.
