Defection looms as El-Rufai, APC, PDP chieftains meet with SDP leaders

Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has again met with leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

PulseNets reports that El-Rufai had met with leaders of the SPD last week.

A viral video of the meeting sparked speculations about his plan to decamp from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP.

At the meeting which held on Sunday night, Mr Nasir was pictured at the Abuja residence of Senator Abubakar Gada, along with SDP chairman Shehu Musa Gabam and other party leaders.

Also present were Senator Teslim Folarin, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for Oyo State in the 2023 general elections, and Senator Nazif Suleiman, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Bauchi State.

This meeting at Senator Gada’s home in Abuja on Sunday night comes shortly after El-Rufai hosted a gathering at his Abuja residence, which included the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam (a chieftain of the APC), Shehu Musa Gabam, and others, for a Ramadan iftar (the breaking of fast).

El-Rufai also visited Gabam at the SDP secretariat.

Pictures from these visits have sparked various reactions on social media, with many speculating about El-Rufai’s potential presidential bid in 2027.

Also Read: You make your heaven and hell on earth — El-Rufai drops new song

But his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, has denied any political motives behind the visits.

Adekeye maintained that the speculations were merely an “unhealthy obsession with politics,” emphasizing that personal relationships can exist independently of political affiliations.